The hunting season in Region 5 is going ahead as scheduled, however it won’t quite be business as usual.
According to the ministry’s website, vehicle and access restrictions are in place in portions of the region where there are evacuation orders and alerts due to “severe” wildfire activity.
“Note that wildfire activity in parts of the Caribou and Thompson regions is particularly intense, with large portions of these areas still burning,” the website notes. “If your hunt is planned for any of the following Management Units please ensure you first familiarize yourself with the forest use restrictions in place in those areas: Cariboo: MUs 5-3, 5-4, 5-6, 5-11, 5-12, 5-13 and 5-14. Thompson: MUs 3-17, 3-18, 3-29 and 3-30. Hunters are reminded that these restrictions are in place to ensure their safety and the safety of firefighters on the ground.”
Insp. Len Butler of the Thompson-Cariboo Region Conservation Officer Service, said his office has been fielding many calls from the public regarding a possible closure.
“We want the public to understand that, although there’s not a hunting closure, there are other closures they will have to adhere to.”
Butler said the restrictions include:
No entry into all Cariboo Regional District (CRD) evacuation ordered areas in the CRD.
Within the evacuation orders and portions of some alert areas, there is also a Wildfire Act Forest Use Restriction. Some of these restricted areas include evacuation orders and alerts and non-alert areas.
“These Section 11 Wildfire Act Forest Use restrictions will remain in place until Oct. 31st unless rescinded earlier by the Cariboo Fire Centre,” the ministry’s website noted. “The rationale is that evacuation orders and alerts can change. These Section 11 areas have been put in place to protect public safety and allow fire suppression efforts to continue efficiently.”
ORVs are restricted in the Cariboo Fire Center region.
There is a campfire ban and many BC Parks and Rec Sites remain closed.
Specific Forest Use restrictions and maps by the fire centre are listed at the following website:
http://bcfireinfo.for.gov.bc.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/Bans.asp
Information on BC Parks closed due to wildfire hazard can be found on the BC Parks website:
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/
Information on Rec Sites and Trails closed due to wildfire hazard can be found on the Rec Sites and Trails website:
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/recreation/camping-hiking/sites-trails
For LEH hunters, Butler said wildfire activity in parts of the Cariboo and Thompson regions is particularly intense, with large portions of these areas still burning.
”If your LEH hunt is planned for any of the following Management Units please ensure you first familiarize yourself with the forest use restrictions in place in those areas: Cariboo: MUs 5-3, 5-4, 5-6, 5-11, 5-12, 5-13 and 5-14. Thompson: MUs 3-17, 3-18, 3-29 and 3-30,” he said.
Members of the RCMP are going to be pairing up with COS officers this weekend to assist with compliance as it relates to hunting, fishing and, especially, the campfire ban, Butler added.
“That campfire ban is on for a reason,” he said. “We are going to be out patrolling this whole area.”
