http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/News.asp Ministry of Forests and Range: Wildfire Management Branch Copyright 2009, Province of British Columbia en-ca Wed, 17 May 2012 10:18:00 PST http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=1879
The prohibition covers the entire Prince George Fire Centre with the exception of the Fort Nelson Fire Zone, north of Buckinghors The ban will remain in place until Sept. 30, 2012, or until the public is otherwise notified. Specifically, this ban applies to:

• The burning of any material, piled or unpiled, smaller than two metres in height and three metres in width, including burning barrels.
• Fireworks.
• Stubble or grass fires over an area less than 2,000 square metres.

The ban does not prohibit campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller, or apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes. People lighting a campfire must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable material from around the campfire area, and they must have a hand tool or at least eight litres of water available nearby to properly extinguish the fire.

People lighting larger fires or more than two fires of any size must comply with burning regulations and must first obtain a burn registration number by calling 1 888 797-1717.

This ban covers all BC Parks, Crown lands and private lands, but does not 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 current restrictions before lighting any fire.

Anyone found in contravention of an open fire ban may be fined $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 firefighting and associated costs.
 

Anyone planning to conduct burning should ensure that fires are not lit near buildings, trees or other combustible materials. Never burn during windy conditions and ensure you have adequate people, water and hand tools available to prevent fires from escaping. Never leave a fire unattended and make sure it is completely extinguished and the embers are cold to the touch before leaving the area.

The Prince George Fire Centre extends from the Yukon and Northwest Territories borders in the north to Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, Cottonwood River and Robson Valley in the south, and from the Alberta border in the east to the Skeena Mountains in the west.

Report a wildfire or unattended campfire by calling 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone.

For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to: http://www.bcwildfire.ca

You can also follow the latest wildfire news --
On Twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/BCGovFireInfo
On Facebook at: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo


Media Contact:
Jillian Chimko
Fire Information Officer
Wildfire Management Branch
Prince George Fire Centre
250 565-6129
Jillian.chimko@gov.bc.ca


Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect
]]> Wed, 17 May 2012 10:18:00 PST http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=1877
Conditions in the Peace Region remain extremely volatile as any ignition source could start a fire. Most of the fire starts occurred because of unsafe burning conditions. If you plan on burning make sure you check the weather forecast for the day before you start your fire.

The fire danger rating throughout the Prince George Fire Centre's jurisdiction is low to moderate. However, high fire danger ratings are present within different areas of the Prince Region.

Quick Facts:
• There are currently no open burning restrictions within the Prince George Fire Centre's jurisdiction. Yet, the public is urged to be extremely cautious when using fire outdoors. Continue to check http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/Bans.asp for the latest on burning restrictions.
• Since April 1, fire crews have responded to 45 wildfires in the Prince George Fire Centre, with a provincial total of 146 wildfires.
• To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call *5555 on your cell phone or 1 800 663-5555.

Learn More:
You can follow the latest B.C. wildfire news:
On Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/BCGovFireInfo
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo

Contact:
Jillian Chimko
Fire Information Officer
Prince George Fire Centre
250-565-6129 (office)
250-961-4176 (cell)
]]> Sun, 14 May 2012 14:07:00 PST http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=1869
With conditions warm, dry, and windy in the Peace region, the Prince George Fire Centre urges the public to be extremely careful while burning. Residents will be held accountable for incidents, even those with a burn registration number.

The fire danger rating throughout the Prince George Fire Centre's jurisdiction is low to moderate. However, high fire danger ratings are present within different areas of the Prince region.

Quick Facts:
• There are currently no open burning restrictions within the Prince George Fire Centre's jurisdiction. Yet, the public is urged to be extremely cautious when using fire outdoors. Continue to check http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/Bans.asp for the latest on burning restrictions.
• Since April 1, fire crews have responded to 27 wildfires in the Prince George Fire Centre, with a provincial total of 102 wildfires.
• To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call *5555 on your cell phone or 1 800 663-5555.

Learn More:
You can follow the latest B.C. wildfire news:
On Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/BCGovFireInfo
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo

Contact:
Jillian Chimko
Fire Information Officer
Prince George Fire Centre
250-565-6129 (office)
250-961-4176 (cell)
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