Campfire Bans -- City of WL/Cariboo Fire Centre

Campfire Bans are slated to come into effect tomorrow (July 31st) at 12 noon for both the City of Wiliams Lake & Cariboo Fire Centre.  Details below:

1) City of Williams Lake

In coordination with Cariboo Fire Centre, effective at noon on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, campfires will be prohibited throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction and within The City of Williams Lake boundaries.

The campfire prohibition will remain in effect until Sept. 29, 2018, or until the public is otherwise notified. Anyone found to have a backyard fire will be subject to fines under the Williams Lake Fire Protection and Control Bylaw

2) Cariboo Fire Centre

Effective at noon on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, campfires will be prohibited throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.

The campfire prohibition will remain in effect until Sept. 29, 2018, or until the public is otherwise notified. A map showing the affected area is available online: http://ow.ly/GYOb30lafy9

The Cariboo Fire Centre is experiencing hot and dry weather. Although thundershowers are expected, temperatures are forecasted to remain warm. The fire danger rating in this region is generally “high”, with some pockets of “moderate” and “extreme.”

Specifically, prohibited activities will include:

an open fire of any size
stubble or grass burning of any size
the use of tiki torches and chimineas
the use of fireworks, including firecrackers
the use of sky lanterns, burning barrels or burning cages of any size or description
the use of binary exploring targets (e.g., for target practice)
the use of air curtain burners (forced-air burning systems)

These prohibitions apply to all public and private land, unless specified otherwise (e.g., in a local government bylaw). Please check with local government authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire.

These prohibitions do not apply to CSA-rated or ULC-rated cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to a portable campfire apparatus that uses briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, as long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.

Prohibitions on Category 2 and Category 3 open burning remain in effect throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction.

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. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

The Cariboo Fire Centre 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.

To report a wildfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free, or *5555 on a cellphone.

For up-to-date information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, call 1 888 3-FOREST (1 888 336-7378) or visit: www.bcwildfire.ca

You can follow the latest wildfire news:

On Twitter: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo