OPEN FIRE RESTRICTED WITHIN THE SOUTHEAST FIRE CENTRE
CASTLEGAR –
Effective at noon July 5, 2010 all medium and large-sized
open fires are prohibited within the Southeast Fire Centre’s
jurisdiction to help prevent human-caused wildfires and
protect public safety.
Specifically this prohibits:
·
Burning
waste, slash or other material, whether piled or unpiled,
that is larger than 0.5 metres in height or 0.5 metres in
width.
·
More than
two piles of waste, slash or other burning, whether piled or
unpiled, that are of any size.
·
Stubble or grass burning over any area.
·
Fireworks of any size or description.
·
Burning barrels.
The ban doesn’t apply to cooking stoves
that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to open fires,
including campfires, that are a half-metre by a half-metre
or smaller. Please ensure campfires aren’t lit or kept
burning during windy conditions, that adequate tools, water
and people are on hand to contain a fire and that it is
fully extinguished before leaving the area
This ban covers all BC Parks, Crown and
private lands, but doesn’t apply within the boundaries of
local governments that have forest fire prevention bylaws
and are serviced by a fire department. Please check with
civic authorities for any restrictions.
The Southeast Fire Centre is currently
experiencing dry conditions and elevated fire hazard.
Human-caused wildfires continue to draw resources away from
unpreventable wildfires caused by lightning.
Anyone contravening an open fire ban may
be issued a ticket for $345, or, if convicted in court, be
fined up to $100,000 and sentenced to one year in jail. If
the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the
person may be subject to a penalty of up to $10,000 and be
ordered to pay all fire fighting and associated costs. This
ban will be in place until the public is otherwise notified.
The Southeast Fire Centre encompasses the
area extending from the US Border in the south to Mica Dam
in the north and from the Okanagan Highlands or Monashee
Mountains in the west to the B.C./Alberta Border in the
east. This includes all of the Arrow-Boundary, Kootenay
Lake, Rocky Mountain and Columbia Forest Districts.
