The following open burning prohibition (fire ban) has been enacted by the BC Wildfire Service/Ministry of Forests, not the Peace River Regional District.
This open fire prohibition is not an evacuation order or alert.
The PRRD encourages all residents to sign up for NEBC alerts if they have not already done so, to receive emergency information for the Peace River region.
To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cell phone or through the BC Wildfire Service mobile app.
PRINCE GEORGE – Effective at 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, July 12, 2024, Category 1 (campfires) are prohibited across the Prince George Fire Centre. This prohibition applies to campfires (Category 1) as defined in the Wildfire Regulation.
This prohibition covers all of the Prince George Fire Centre and will remain in effect until 12 p.m. (noon) on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, or until it is rescinded.
Prohibitions apply to all public and private lands unless otherwise specified (e.g. in an enactment or local government bylaw).
In addition to prohibiting the use of open fire of any size, the following activities are prohibited:
- Fireworks
- Sky lanterns
- Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
- Binary exploding targets
- Air curtain burners
- Chimineas
- Tiki and similar kinds of torches
- Outdoor stoves or other portable campfire apparatus without a CSA or ULC rating
This prohibition does not include the use of outdoor stoves. As outlined in the Wildfire Regulation, an outdoor stove is a CSA-rated or ULC-rated rated device used outdoors for cooking, heat or ambiance, that burns charcoal briquettes, liquid fuel or gaseous fuel, and has a flame height less than 15 centimeters tall.
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.
Multiple factors are taken into consideration when assessing wildfire hazards and deciding whether to implement an open fire prohibition, including: 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 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. Please check the BC Wildfire Service Bans and Restrictions webpage for the most current prohibitions for your area.
Wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility.
Human-caused wildfires are completely preventable and divert critical resources away from lightning-caused wildfires.
For updates on the current wildfire situation, please visit BCWildfire.ca.
