The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) is putting in place an open fire prohibition effective this week for the Northwest Fire Centre.

The current forecast for the Northwest Fire Centre jurisdiction area which stretches from the west coast to west of Endako and from Yukon border to Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, is calling for elevated temperatures through this weekend. Temperature is expected to reach a high of 35 degrees celsius this weekend.

Given this weather trend, the BC Wildfire Service is implementing a Category 2 and Category 3 open fire prohibition effective at 12:00 noon Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on Friday, June 25, 2021.

This prohibition applies to all public and private land in the Northwest Fire Centre boundary, unless specified otherwise, for e.g. through a local government bylaw.

The ban will remain in place until the noon of October 15, 2021 for now.

Activities prohibited under the category 2 open fires are burning of material in one pile not exceeding two metres in height and three metres in width, burning material concurrently in two piles each not exceeding two metres in height and three metres in width or burning stubble or grass over an area that not exceed over 0.2 hectares.

Activities prohibited under the category 3 open fires are any fire larger than two metres high by three metres wide, material in one or more piles each exceeding two metres in height or three metres in width, one or more burning windrows, or stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 hectares.

Fireworks, firecrackers and sky lanterns are also prohibited.

The prohibition will however not include campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller, or to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.

To report a wildfire or an open burning violation, call *5555 on a cellphone or 1 800 663-5555 toll-free. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, visit http://www.bcwildfire.ca.