After announcing the ban on Campfires was being rescinded after a prolonged wet spell here in the North, the Prince George Fire Centre rolled back that decision before the new rules went into effect.
The restriction were scheduled to be lifted July 31 at noon, but hours later, sent out another note, saying the decision was made in haste.
“Upon further review and with the ongoing wildfire activity within the Province, the BC Wildfire Service has made the determination that the complete Open Burning Prohibition including Category 1 Open Burning (campfires) issued on June 8, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. (PDT) will remain in effect.” said the email.
Many local residents are hoping that the fire ban for this area will be lifted, as Tumbler Ridge has seen a lot of rain recently. However, as of press time (Monday, July 31), that does not appear to be the case.
A category 1 campfire are fires that are less than 0.5 m high or wide. Larger bonfires are considered category 2 fires.
This prohibition will remain in effect until 12:00 noon, Sunday October 15, 2023 or until it the order is rescinded.
Prohibitions apply to all public and private lands unless otherwise specified (e.g. in an enactment or local government bylaw).
That means no fires in your backyard.
In addition to the above prohibitions, the following activities remain prohibited:
- Fireworks
- Sky Lanterns
- Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description
- Binary exploding targets
- Air Curtain Burners
According to the Prince George Fire Centre, multiple factors are taken into consideration when assessing wildfire hazards and deciding whether to implement an open fire prohibition. These include: current and forecasted weather conditions; the availability of firefighting resources; and the Buildup Index (BUI). The BUI rating is an estimate of the total amount of fuel available for combustion on the landscape. It takes into account the fuel’s moisture content, since that can affect fire intensity. Campfire and open-burning prohibitions are implemented based on the particular region’s BUI values. The BUI allows the province’s six fire centres to follow a consistent and scientific process for evaluating the need for campfire prohibitions.”
Anyone found in contravention of an open-burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, and 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.
For updates on the current wildfire situation, including full incident details for Wildfires of Note, please visit www.tumblerridgelines.com
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
Its only rained for three weeks and still raining the bald spot is green!! Residents are safe to have a small fire in a pit in their yard id say. Its ridiculous we still cant.