As of noon on Friday, June 11, 2021, category 3 open burning will be prohibited throughout the Southeast Fire Centre. This includes the Rocky Mountain Natural Resource District and the Selkirk Natural Resource District.
The BC Wildfire Service says they are implementing this prohibition to help prevent wildfires that can be caused by category 3 burning and to protect public safety.
A category 3 fire is defined as any fire larger than two metres high by three metres wide, three or more concurrently burning piles no larger than two metres high by three metres wide, burning of one or more windrows and burning of stubble or grass over an area greater than 0.2 hectares.
“Anyone holding a category 3 registration number anywhere in the Southeast Fire Centre’s jurisdiction must ensure their piles are extinguished by the June 11, 2021 deadline and may not light past this date,” said the BC Wildfire Service in a news release. “This prohibition will remain in effect until noon on October 9, 2021, or until the order is rescinded.”
Those looking to have campfires at their camp sites or in their back yards are still in luck, as the prohibition does not include campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide (or smaller) and does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.
Category 2 fires are also not part of this prohibition. A category 2 fire includes one or two concurrently burning piles up to two metres high by three metres wide each, or he burning of stubble or grass in an area less than 0.2 hectares.
“Anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150, 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 causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs,” said the BC Wildfire Service. “The Southeast Fire Centre would like to thank the public for its continuing help in preventing wildfires. To report a wildfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone.”
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