PGFC reminds residents to check on winter burn sites as snow melts

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — With spring officially underway, the Prince George Fire Centre (PGFC) is sharing safety advice for anyone who conducted pile burning during the winter.

As temperatures rise and snow melts across the province, PGFC staff members have issued a press release urging people to check on their burn sites and ensure any hotspots have been fully extinguished.

Winter burn piles can smoulder deep underground throughout the season before resurfacing in the spring and causing a wildfire.

The same principle is responsible for overwintering wildfires, which BC Wildfire Service staff have been monitoring since earlier this month.

Members of the PGFC engaged in pile burning themselves near the Northern Rockies Regional Airport in Fort Nelson last week to eliminate potential wildfire fuel early.

The press release also states no open-burning prohibition orders or restrictions are currently in place within PGFC territory, but anyone conducting a burn is responsible for following provincial regulations.

The provincial government’s website has a detailed breakdown of the regulations.