Anyone conducting a Category 3 fire anywhere in the Cariboo Fire Centre will have to have any such fire extinguished by noon on Monday, April 23.
The Centre announced that Category 3 fires are to be prohibited until September 29 or until the public is otherwise notified.
“This prohibition is being implemented due to an increased risk of holdover fires at this time of year,” says Fire Information Officer Jessica Mack.
“Holdover fires may smolder undetected for a long period of time underground before flaring up as temperatures rise.”
Prohibited activities that would constitute a Category 3 open fire include:
- any fire larger than two metres high by three metres wide
- three or more concurrently burning piles no larger than two metres high by three metres wide
- one or more burning windrows
- burning of stubble or grass over an area greater than 0.2 hectares.
Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of $10,000, or, if convicted in court, 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.