By Andru McCracken
If you’re going to have a campfire, keep it small and have 8 litres of water on hand to douse it when you are done and make sure the ashes are cool to the touch before you leave it. A campfire is pretty much the only fire you are permitted these days. Category 2 and 3 fires are not permitted. Also prohibited are burning barrels, fireworks and sky lanterns. That’s the message from Gagan Lidhran, Communications Assistant for the Prince George Fire Centre.
Lidhran said fire call volume has been about average this spring, despite sweeping bans on industrial fire activity – basically anything bigger than a small campfire.
Lidhran said some folks don’t realize there is a ban because it’s unusually early.
“This prohibition was put in place to reduce demand on fire fighting resources and protect the health safety of BC Wildfire personnel and staff,” she said.
The idea is to keep wildland firefighters safe and well so they are ready to respond to fires when the season starts. She said smoke from fires can cause complications for those suffering from COVID-19.
So far the Prince George Fire Centre has had 58 callouts and 22 human caused fires.
“We’d like to see less… so we want to remind the public we have prohibitions in place,” she said.
Fire fighters have been training and preparing in their homes, but responding as usual when there are fires.
