The City of Prince George has announced a ban on fireworks and open burning, including campfires, due to the increased risk from the ongoing heatwave.
Propane and natural gas fire pits are allowed, but wood-burning fire pits are not permitted. The City of Prince George Fire Protection and Emergency Response Bylaw gives the Fire Chief the authority to institute this ban in the interest of public safety.
The ban, which will remain in place until further notice, begins at 12 p.m. today (June 30) at the same time a province-wide fire ban begins.
Effective noon today campfires are prohibited across the province and this includes category 2 and category 3 open fires.
The provincial ban will remain in effect until noon on Oct. 15 or until the order is rescinded.
In addition to campfires the following activities are also prohibited:
- The use of fireworks
- The use of sky lanterns
- The use of burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
- The use of binary exploding targets
- The use of tiki and similar kinds of torches
- The use of chimineas
- The use of outdoor stoves or other portable campfire apparatus without a Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or Underwriter Laboratories of Canada (ULC) rating
- The use of air curtain burners in Cariboo, Coastal, Northwest, Prince George and Southeast fire centres
Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, may be required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, may be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail.
If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
