Prince George, B.C. – Category 2 open fires will be banned throughout the Prince George Fire Centre beginning at noon today.

The BC Wildfire Service says the prohibition has been put in place to help prevent human-caused wildfires and to protect public safety and will stay in place until September 30, 2016. 

Prohibited activities include:

• The burning of any material (piled or unpiled) smaller than two metres high and three metres wide.
• The burning of stubble or grass over an area less than 2,000 square metres.
• The use of burning barrels or burning cages or any size or description.
• The use of sky lanterns, tiki torches or fireworks.
• The use of stoves and other portable campfire apparatuses that are not CSA/ULC approved.

The prohibition does not ban campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller, and it does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.

Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition could be issued a $1,150 fine, required to pay an administrative penalty of $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail.

If the contravention contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

Heading into this weekend the fire danger rating in the Prince George Fire Centre ranges from moderate too extreme in some areas (see map for details).