By GOAT STAFF
Effective at noon today, an existing Category 2 open burning prohibition in parts of the Prince George Fire Centre will be expanded to include the entire fire centre including the Robson Valley, to reduce wildfire risks and protect public safety.
A Category 2 open burning prohibition came into effect in the Fort Nelson and Peace Natural Resource Districts on May 3, 2018. The additional prohibition will include the Mackenzie, Fort St. James, Vanderhoof and Prince George districts.
A map of the area affected by the Category 2 open burning prohibition is available online at: http://ow.ly/ZtIq30k19Pu
A Category 2 prohibition applies to:
* the open burning of any material (piled or unpiled) smaller than two metres high and three metres wide
* the use of burning barrels
* the use of burn cages
* the use of air curtain burners
* the use of exploding binary targets
* the use of sky lanterns
* the use of fireworks
* stubble or grass fires over an area smaller than 2,000 square metres
The BC Wildfire Service is implementing this prohibition to help prevent wildfires sparked by Category 2 burns, due to dry and windy conditions in the weather forecast. This prohibition will remain in place until the public is otherwise notified.
However, this prohibition does not apply to Category 3 fires or campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller, or to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes. A poster explaining the different categories of open burning is available online at: http://ow.ly/znny309kJv5
Anyone lighting a campfire must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable debris from around the campfire area, and they must have a hand tool or at least eight litres of water available nearby to properly extinguish the fire.
