With more than 200 fires burning in BC, the public is urged to remain vigilant and ensure their activities don’t spark any new fires over the Labour Day long weekend.
“Our wildfire crews still have significant work ahead of them to bring existing wildfires under control as they work to keep British Columbians safe,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.
“Let’s not add human-caused fires to their workload during this long and challenging fire season.”
From April 1 to Sept. 1, 2021, the BC Wildfire Service responded to 1,562 wildfires that have so far burned more than 865,000 hectares — one of the province’s most destructive fire seasons on record.
Anyone planning to spend time outdoors in the coming days and weeks is encouraged to use caution with any activity that could potentially start a wildfire.
Human-caused fires are preventable and can divert firefighting resources from naturally occurring wildfires or fires that are already burning.
Campfires are currently allowed within the BC Wildfire Service’s jurisdiction in the following areas:
all of the Northwest Fire Centre
all of the Cariboo Fire Centre
all of the Prince George Fire Centre
most of the Southeast Fire Centre (with the exception of the Boundary Fire Zone)
Haida Gwaii and the Central Coast area (i.e., the North Island-Central Coast Forest District) within the Coastal Fire Centre
Effective at noon on Sept. 3, 2021, campfires will be allowed in most of the Coastal Fire Centre’s jurisdiction (with the exception of the South Island Natural Resource District).
Larger Category 2 and Category 3 open burns remain prohibited throughout British Columbia.
