PRINCE GEORGE – Effective at 12 p.m. (noon) Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on Thursday, August 20, 2026, Category 2 and Category 3 open burning will be prohibited in the Stuart Nechako Forest District (VanJam Fire Zone) except areas within municipal boundaries.
Anyone conducting Category 2 and Category 3 open fires within the Stuart Nechako Forest District (VanJam Fire Zone) of the Prince George Fire Centre’s jurisdiction must extinguish those fires by the 12 p.m. (noon), August 20, 2026, deadline.
This prohibition will remain in effect until 12 p.m. (noon) on October 15, 2026, or until the order is rescinded.
This prohibition does not include Category 1 campfire.
A Category 2 open fire, as defined in the Wildfire Regulation, refers to any fire that burns:
- One pile of material not exceeding 2 metres high and 3 metres wide
- Two piles of material, each not exceeding 2 metres high and 3 metres wide
- Stubble or grass over an area less than 0.2 hectares (2,000 square metres)
A Category 3 open fire, as defined in the Wildfire Regulation, refers to any fire that burns:
- Three or more piles of material, each not exceeding 2 metres high and 3 metres wide
- Any pile of material larger than 2 metres high or 3 metres wide
- Windrows not exceeding 200 metres in length and 15 metres in width
- Stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 hectares (2,000 square metres)
You can find the PDF poster for Category 3 open fire here.
In addition to Category 2 and Category 3 open fires, the following equipment and activities will also be prohibited:
- Binary Exploding Targets
- Fireworks, as defined in the Fireworks Acts of BC
- Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description
- Controlled air incinerators
- Air curtain burners
- Carbonizers
Where this prohibition applies
A map indicating the areas affected by this prohibition is available below:
This prohibition applies to all areas of the Vanderhoof and Fort St. James Fire Zones that are outside municipal boundaries. It also applies to the following types of Crown land within municipal boundaries:
- Parks, conservancies, and recreation areas (Park Act)
- Recreation sites, trails, and interpretive forest sites (Forest and Range Practices Act)
- Ecological reserves (Ecological Reserve Act)
- Wildlife management areas (Wildlife Act)
- Private managed forest land (Private Managed Forest Land Act)
Municipalities often follow BC Wildfire Service prohibitions or may impose different prohibitions based on conditions in their local area. If you are in a municipality, be sure to check if local prohibitions are in place. If you are within a regional district or improvement district, this prohibition applies as well as any local prohibition issued by the regional district or improvement district. BC Parks follows BC Wildfire Service prohibitions.
You can find more information on prohibitions and restrictions within the Prince George Fire Centre here.
While this prohibition does not include Category 1 campfires, it is important to continue exercising caution when doing burning of any kind. Further information on the different types of open fires and safer burning can be found online.
Offences and fines
Anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of $10,000, or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced for up to one year in jail.
If your fire causes or contributes to a wildfire, you may be fined up to $1 million and/or sentenced to up to 3 years in jail, as well as be responsible for all firefighting and associated costs. More information about the Wildfire Act and Regulation is available online.
Report a wildfire
The Prince George Fire Centre would like to thank the public for their continued help in preventing wildfires. You can report a wildfire, unattended campfire, or open burning violation by:
- Dialing *5555 on a cell phone
- Calling 1 800 663-5555 toll-free
- Reporting through the BC Wildfire App Report a fire function
- Reporting through the app lets you upload images and can be used without service.
Stay up-to-date with the latest wildfire news
- BCWildfire.ca
- BC Wildfire Map
- BC Wildfire App: Apple or Android
- Facebook and Instagram
| Contact Fire Information Officer BC Wildfire Service Prince George Fire Centre 250-561-4629 INFOPG@gov.bc.ca |
Report burning violations through the RAPP Line:
1-877-952-7277