Campfire ban for Prince George Fire Centre comes into effect Friday

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Prince George Fire Centre (PGFC) is enacting a campfire ban across the region beginning Friday, July 12th at noon.

According to a press release, the prohibition will remain in effect until October 15th at noon and affects every ‘fire zone’ in the PGFC coverage area, including Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Fort Nelson.

The ban prohibits having an open flame of any size outdoors. Other things banned in the region right now include fireworks, sky lanterns, burn barrels and cages of any size, torches, chimineas, air curtain burners, and binary explosive targets.

Some outdoor stoves are allowed, as long as they’re either ULC or CSA-rated for outdoor cooking, heat or ambience, are fuelled by charcoal briquettes or a liquid or gas fuel, and have a flame height of 15 centimetres or less.

According to the release, the PGFC decides when to enact fire bans based on several factors, including weather forecasts, firefighting resource availability, and the “buildup index,” which the PGFC describes as “an estimate of the total amount of fuel available for combustion on the landscape.”

Violating the campfire ban could lead to tickets of up to $1,150, administrative penalties of up to $10,000, and even possible jail time.

Residents are urged to report any unauthorized burning in the region by calling 1-800-663-5555, dialing *5555 on any smartphone, or using the BC Wildfire Service app.

Municipalities are responsible for instating and enforcing campfire bans within city limits. There’s no word yet as to whether the City of Fort St. John will instate a campfire ban. Energeticcity.ca will update this article as new information becomes available.