PRINCE GEORGE – Effective at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5 Category 2 and Category 3 open burning will be prohibited in the Prince George and Stuart Nechako Forest Districts (Prince George, Robson Valley and VanJam Fire Zones) except areas within municipal boundaries .
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)
This prohibition will remain in effect until 12 p.m. on Thursday October 15 or until the order is rescinded.
Additional prohibited activities and equipment
The following activities and use of the following equipment, materials and substances are also prohibited:
- Binary exploding targets
- Fire works, as defined in the Fireworks Act of BC
- Burn barrels or burn cages
- Controlled air incinerators
- Air curtain burners
- Carbonizers
This prohibition does not ban Category 1 (campfires) that are a half-metre high by half-metre wide or smaller, or the use of cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.
Before lighting a fire of any size, always check for any BC Wildfire Service open fire prohibitions in your area. Also, be sure to check with your local government for any bylaw restrictions in your area.
Where this prohibition applies
This prohibition applies to all areas of the Prince George and Stuart Nechako Forest Districts (Prince George, Robson Valley, and Vanderhoof and Fort St. James 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)
Penalties for non-compliance
Individuals who violate the open fire prohibition may face fines of up to $1,150, administrative penalties of up to $10,000, or court convictions with fines up to $100,000 and/or one year in jail. If a prohibited fire leads to a wildfire, the individual may be held responsible for the full cost of firefighting and any damage to Crown resources. More information about the Wildfire Act and Regulation is available online.
Contact:
Prince George Information Officer
250-561-4629
INFOPG@gov.bc.ca
Report a Wildfire:
1-800-663-5555
*5555 (mobile) or through the
BCWS App
Report burning violations through the RAPP Line: 1-877-952-7277
Category 3 Burn Registration Line:
1-888-797-1717