Campfire Ban Back in Effect – August 31, 2023

August 31, 2023

Partial Category 1 (Campfires) ban in Prince George Fire Centre

Effective at 12:00 (noon) on Thursday, August 31, 2023, Category 1 (campfires) are prohibited across the VanJam, Mackenzie and Fort Nelson fire zones in the Prince George Fire Centre. This prohibition applies to campfires (Category 1) as defined in the Wildfire Regulation.

This prohibition covers the Stuart, Mackenzie and Fort Nelson Forest Districts and will remain in effect until 12:00 (noon) on Sunday, October 15, 2023 or until it is rescinded.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). A map outlining the area of this prohibition is below.

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 centimetres tall.
Please check the BC Wildfire Service Bans and Restrictions webpage for the most current prohibitions for your area.

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.

To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, please call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free, *5555 on a cell phone or directly through the BC Wildfire Service mobile app.

For more information visit the Government of BC Fire Ban and Restriction webpage.