S'mores are coming back on the menu just in time for the long weekend.
The Category 1 (campfires) open burning prohibition will be rescinded in the Prince George and Northwest Fire Centres as of noon on Aug. 1.
According to the BC Wildfire Service, fire danger is constantly being measured and campfire prohibitions may return in either region if conditions change.
The current prohibition for any Category 2 and Category 3 open fires remains in effect.
Although fire danger ratings have dropped due to recent rainfall and cooler temperatures, the BC Wildfire Service is reminding the public to still exercise caution.
Avoid having a campfire when it’s windy; choose a proper fire pit or make a ring of rocks at least three metres from trees, shrubs, structures and debris; and do not leave a campfire unattended for any amount of time, the service advises.
A campfire, is defined as an open fire that burns piled material no larger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide. The following precautions must be in place when lighting or making use of a campfire:
- There is ready access to a shovel or at least eight litres of water the entirety of the time the campfire is lit;
- There is a fuel break around the campfire, free of any debris or combustible materials; and
- The fire is fully extinguished and the ashes are cold to the touch before leaving the campfire for any length of time.
An almost B.C.-wide campfire ban was put in place on July 12.