Public urged to report illegal fires for investigation
By Contributor
The BC Wildfire Service has received reports of people not complying with the partial campfire ban in the Cariboo Fire Centre.
Members of the public are encouraged to report any open burning violations they see so that illegal fires can be investigated.
Within the Cariboo Fire Centre’s jurisdiction, campfires are not allowed west of the Fraser River. Campfires are allowed east of the Fraser River, but they cannot be larger than 0.5 metres wide by 0.5 metres high.
Enforcement of open burning prohibitions is done by the ministry’s Compliance and Enforcement Branch, the Conservation Officer Service and the RCMP. Charges may be laid or fines assessed under the Wildfire Act and wildfire regulation if the responsible party is identified.
Members of the public can report abandoned campfires or open burning violations by calling 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone. The more information they can provide about the location, activity and people involved (including licence plate numbers), the easier it will be to investigate the incident.
The BC Wildfire Service takes open burning prohibitions very seriously as a means to prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety. As recent wildfire activity in the province has shown, wildfires can have far-reaching implications. Even one human-caused wildfire is too many.
Campfire bans are dependent on weather conditions, current wildfire activity and whether the BC Wildfire Service is encountering widespread non-compliance. Cariboo Fire Centre staff will continue to assess the situation east and west of the Fraser River.
For up-to-date information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, call 1 888 3-FOREST or visit: www.bcwildfire.ca
