High winds
are forecast throughout the Cariboo with gusts up to 45 kilometres. Industry
partners and members of the public are reminded to be vigilant, we recommend
returning to check any burn piles or stacks that have been previously extinguished.
Human-caused wildfires are completely preventable and divert firefighting
resources away from naturally occurring wildfires in the region.
This spring
has seen unseasonably windy, dry and hot conditions that have resulted in 58
fires with a total of 1,797 hectares burned within the Cariboo region, with the
majority being human caused.
A reminder
that currently, there are Category 2 and Category 3 prohibitions in place
throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre including the Tsilhqot’in (Xeni Gwet’in) Declared
Title Area. As well the following activities and use of the following
equipment, materials and substances are currently prohibited:
- Fireworks
- Sky Lanterns
- Burn Barrels or Burn
Cages of any size or description
- Binary exploding targets
- Air Curtain Banners
The current
prohibitions do not ban campfires or cooking stoves that use gas, propane or
briquettes within The Cariboo Fire Centre. A reminder to the public about
campfire safety and responsibilities are as follows:
- No larger than 0.5
metres high by 0.5 metres wide
- Must have a fire guard
around the campfire
- Must have ready access
to 8 litres of water or a shovel for the entire time the campfire is lit
- Never leave the campfire
unattended
- Must be completely
extinguished and ashes cool to the touch before leaving the area
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.
Human-caused
wildfires are completely preventable and divert critical resources away from
naturally caused fires. Always practice safe, responsible open fire use.
To report a
wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555
toll-free or *5555 on a cell phone.
You can follow
the latest wildfire news:
- on the free BC Wildfire
Service public mobile app, available for Apple (iOS) and Android devices
- on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo
- on Facebook at: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo
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