Open fire prohibition scheduled for Northwest Fire Centre



SMITHERS—Effective at 12:00 pm (noon) on Thursday, July 28, 2022, Category 2 and Category 3 open burning will be prohibited through the Northwest Fire Centre’s (NWFC) jurisdiction.

The current forecast for the NWFC’s jurisdiction area is calling for elevated temperatures through the weekend and into next week, causing increased fire danger. This prohibition is being enacted to help reduce wildfire risk and protect public safety.

This prohibition will remain in effect until 12:00 pm (noon) on October 15, 2022, or until the order is rescinded.

More information about open burning is available online. Also prohibited are the activities listed below:

  • Fireworks;
  • Sky lanterns;
  • Binary exploding targets;
  • Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description; and
  • Air curtain burners.

This prohibition order does not ban campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide (or smaller) and does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes. A poster outlining campfire regulations is available online.

Prohibitions apply to all public and private lands unless otherwise specified (e.g., in an enactment or local government bylaw). Check with local government authorities for restrictions before lighting any fire.

Anyone found in contravention of an open-burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, may be required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, may be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cell phone or through the BC Wildfire Service mobile app.


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Contact:

Fire Information Officer
BC Wildfire Service
Northwest Fire Centre
250-876-6844

Connect with the Province of B.C. at www.gov.bc.ca/connect.