As of noon on July 27, campfires will once again be allowed east of the Fraser River within the Cariboo Fire Centre's (CFC) jurisdiction, including 100 Mile House and communities within its service area.
However, campfires remain prohibited west of the Fraser River.
The following activities will be allowed east of the Fraser River but remain prohibited west of the Fraser River within the CFC:
• Campfires (no larger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide).
• Outdoor stoves and other portable campfire apparatuses.
• Tiki torches, burning barrels, burning cages and air curtain burners.
However, category 2 open burning, Category 3 open burning, fireworks, firecrackers, sky lanterns and binary exploding targets will remain prohibited throughout the entire CFC to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.
Anyone lighting a campfire east of the Fraser River must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable debris from around the campfire site and have a hand tool or at least eight litres of water available nearby to properly extinguish the fire.
The person must make sure that the campfire is completely out and the ashes are cold to the touch before leaving the area for any length of time.
Campfire prohibitions do not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to a portable campfire apparatus with a CSA or ULC rating that uses briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, so long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.
The use of a campfire apparatus that does not meet these specifications is prohibited west of the Fraser River.
These prohibitions cover all BC Parks, Crown lands and private lands, but do not apply within the boundaries of a local municipality that has forest fire prevention bylaws and is serviced by a fire department. Check with local municipal authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire.
The CFC stretches from Loon Lake near Clinton in the south to the Cottonwood River near Quesnel in the north and from Tweedsmuir Provincial Park in the west to Wells Gray Provincial Park in the east. For a map of the affected areas, visit: http://bit.ly/1ICuTnm
Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a ticket for $345, 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.
If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
For information about where campfires are banned in the province and to get tips on making responsible burning decisions, see: http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/Bans.asp
