Category 3 open fires prohibition expanded to Chilcotin on Monday

Courtesy of the BC Wildfire Service:

Effective noon Monday, May 31, 2021, Category 3 open fires will be partially prohibited to the west side of the high-water mark of the Fraser River within the Cariboo Chilcotin Forest District and the Tsilhoqot’in (Xeni Gwet’in) Declared Title Area.

This expanded open burning prohibition, which is being implemented in co-operation with the Tsilhoqot’in National Government, is being done to prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.

Specifically, prohibited activities that would constitute a Category 3 open fire include:

*any fires larger than two meters high by three meters wide;

*three or more concurrently burning piles no larger than two meters high by three meters wide;

*burning of one or more windrows; and

*burning of stubble or grass over an area greater than 0.2 hectares.

Anyone conducting a Category 3 open fire anywhere in the west side of the high-water mark of the Fraser River within the Cariboo Chilcotin Forest District’s jurisdiction must extinguish any such fire by noon Monday, May 31, 2021. This prohibition will remain in place until Oct. 1, 2021, or until the public is otherwise notified.

Category 3 open fires have been prohibited throughout the 100 Mile Forest District since May 31, 2021 and this expansion into the Cariboo Chilcotin Forest District and Tsilhoqot’in (Xeni Gwet’in) Declared Title Area will remain in place until Oct. 1, 2021, or until the public is otherwise notified.

This prohibition does not ban campfires that are half-metre high by a high-metre wide or smaller, and does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.

This prohibition also does not ban Category 2 fires, which include one or two concurrently burning piles up to two metres high by three metres wide, or the burning of stubble or grass over an area less than 0.2 hectares.

A poster explaining the different categories of open burning is available online:

http://ow.ly/znny309kJv5

 The Category 3 open fire prohibition applies to all BC Parks, Crown lands and private lands, but does not apply within the boundaries of a local government that has forest fire prevention bylaws in place and is serviced by a fire department. Check with local government authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire.

The Cariboo Chilcotin Forest District prohibition area stretches from Tweedsmuir Provincial Park to the Fraser River running from just above McLeese Lake to just north of Lac La Hache. The 100 Mile Forest District stretches from the Fraser River in the west to Bridge Lake in the east. This area starts just below Clinton and runs north to just above Lac La Hache and Hendrix Lake. A map of the area affected by this Category 3 open burning prohibition is available online: http://ow.ly/KPaa30rJekc

Human-caused wildfires are completely preventable and divert critical resources away from lightning-caused fires. Always practice safe, responsible fire use where permitted.

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

*Check with your local government or other jurisdictional authorities before lighting a fire of any size since they may have their own restrictions in place.

*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.

Learn More:

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*on the free BC Wildfire Service public mobile app, available for Apple (iOS) and Android devices

*on Twitter: twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo

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