Article content

Large fires are banned in the Cariboo and in the territories governed by the Tsilhqot’in until late September, it was announced Monday.

A joint announcement from the B.C. Wildfire Service, the Tsilhqot’in National Government and the community of Xeni Gwet’in, states that category 3 open fires are prohibited from Loon Lake near Clinton in the south to the Cottonwood River near Quesnel in the north, and from Tweedsmuir Provincial Park in the west to Wells Gray Provincial Park in the east.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Large open fires already banned in Cariboo Back to video

Fires larger than two metres high by three metres high are not permitted, nor can property owners have three or more burning piles of a similar size at any one time, they cannot burn windrows and the burning of grass or stubbled must be contained to an area no larger than 2000 square metres.

“This expanded open burning prohibition…is intended to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety,” they said in a statement.

The prohibition began April 23 and will remain in place until midnight on Sept. 29. It does not apply “within the boundaries of a local government that has forest fire prevention bylaws in place and is serviced by a fire department,” the statement note, so check with your local government before burning.

Photo by B.C. Wildfire Service

Campfires that are a half-metre in height and width are still allowed.