Hours after the province announced that category two and three open burning is officially banned in four of BC’s fire centres, another fire centre will be added to the list.
During a seasonal wildfire outlook update provided Thursday morning, Bowinn Ma, minister of emergency management and climate readiness, said open burning was no longer allowed in the Prince George, Cariboo and Kamlooops fire centres.
Parts of the Northwest Fire Centre are also included in that ban, which is effective immediately.
By the afternoon, the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) said category three open burning will be banned in the Southeast Fire Centre as of Friday, May 17 at noon.
In order to prevent wildfires caused by Category 3 open burning and to protect public safety, effective at 12 p.m. (noon) PDT on Friday, May 17, 2024, Category 3 open burning will be prohibited throughout the Southeast Fire Centre. pic.twitter.com/ceK6scZnbI
— BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) May 9, 2024
The ban will be in place until noon on Oct. 28 or until the order is rescinded.
“The BC Wildfire Service is implementing this prohibition to help prevent wildfires caused by Category 3 open burning and to protect public safety,” says the BCWS.
A Category 3 open fire prohibition restricts the use of open fire that burns:
material concurrently in 3 or more piles each not exceeding 2 m in height and 3 m in width;
material in one or more piles each exceeding 2 m in height or 3 m in width;
one or more windrows, each not exceeding 200 m in length or 15 m in width; or
stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 ha.
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 to one year in jail.
Campfires are not banned in any of the province’s fire centres at this time.
To keep an eye on fire bans across the province, feel free to head on over to this link.
