Williams Lake, B.C. – Effective  noon  today,  there are burning restrictions throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre region.

Category 2 and Category 3 open fires will be prohibited throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.

This prohibition is being implemented due to current weather conditions and the long-range weather forecast for the region. Anyone conducting a Category 2 open burn anywhere in the Cariboo Fire Centre must extinguish any such fire by noon today.

The Cariboo Fire Centre stretches from Loon Lake (near Clinton) in the south to the Cottonwood River (near Quesnel) in the north and from Tweedsmuir Provincial Park in the west to Wells Gray Provincial Park in the east.

Larger Category 3 open fires have been prohibited throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre since April 13, 2017. Both Category 2 and Category 3 open fires will remain prohibited until Sept. 30, 2017 or until the public is otherwise notified.

Specifically, prohibited activities will include:

* fireworks

* the burning of any waste, slash or other materials

* stubble or grass fires of any size over any area

* the use of burning barrels or burning cages of any size or description

* the use of sky lanterns

* the use of exploding binary targets (e.g. for target practice)

These prohibitions do not ban campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller, and do not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.

These prohibitions apply to all BC Parks, Crown lands and private lands, but do not apply within the boundaries of a local government that has forest fire prevention bylaws in place and is serviced by a fire department. Please check with local government authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire.