Tinder dry conditions force Prince George fire ban

In a sure sign winter is over, a second fire centre in B.C. is implementing a burn ban to begin at the end of this month.

As of 12 p.m. on March 28, all category two and three open burns will be banned in the Prince George Fire Centre region.

That means anything larger than a campfire is prohibited.

The BC Wildfire Service says the ban will continue until Oct. 15, or until the order is rescinded.

The move comes after the Cariboo Fire Centre issued a fire ban notice last week, prohibiting anything bigger than a campfire from March 28 onwards.

The March fire restrictions also prohibit things like fireworks and sky lanterns in the regions.

“Multiple factors are taken into consideration when assessing wildfire hazards and deciding whether to implement Open Fire Prohibitions, including drought conditions, current and forecasted weather, the availability of fire fighting resources and the Buildup Index (BUI),” the BCWS said Wednesday.

“This prohibition is being implemented to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety due to the high grass fire hazard, persistent drought conditions and increased incidence of human-caused wildfires associated with Category 2 and Category 3 open burning.”

The BCWS explains anyone who’s found burning materials larger than a campfire may be issued a $1,150 ticket, be required to pay a penalty of up to $10,000, or if convicted in court, face a fine of up to $100,000 and a year in jail.

On Monday, the province explained B.C. is expecting an early start to the wildfire season, with underlying drought conditions and the likelihood of a warmer-and-drier-than-usual spring on the horizon.

The province said that while strong El Niño conditions are “fading,” the residual heat in the Pacific Ocean continues to support the forecast for warmer and drier-than-normal conditions into spring.

The government said it’s “taking several early steps to prepare,” including working with local governments and First Nations. According to its forecasts, the B.C. government is anticipating what could be “an active spring-wildfire season,” due to ongoing “deep drought conditions.”

The province explained its forecasts indicate until there’s “significant and sustained rain,” the risk of fires “will remain elevated.”

–With files from Hana Mae Nassar