By Ashley Legassic

Category 3 fire ban to go in place for Cariboo Fire Centre

Apr 9, 2019 | 1:22 PM

WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. — Category 3 open fires will be banned throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre come next week.

In a news release, the provincial government says this is to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.

Prohibited activities that constitute a Category 3 open fire include:

• 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
• Burning of stubble or grass over an area greater than 0.2 hectares

Any Category 3 fires in the region must be put out by noon on Monday (April 15), and the prohibition will remain in place until Sept. 27, or until the public is otherwise notified.

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This doesn’t ban campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller, and doesn’t impact cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.

Category 2 fires are still allowed, which include one or two concurrently burning piles up to two metres high by three metres wide.

Go here for a poster explaining the different categories of open burning. The prohibition applies to all B.C. Parks, Crown lands and private lands, but residents should check with local authorities before lighting any fire.

Anyone found disobeying the order could be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, be required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $100,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and sentenced to up to one year in jail.

If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible can be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs, as well as the value of the resources damaged or destroyed by the wildfire.

To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1 (800) 663-5555 or *5555 on a cellphone.