Category 3 fire prohibitions will commence in Merritt Fire Centre in early May

MERRITT — Fire prohibitions are set to commence in Merritt starting in early May (2024.)

The fire ban will remain in effect until 12:00 (noon) Oct. 11, 2024, or until the order is rescinded.

Anyone conducting Category 3 open fires within the Kamloops Fire Centre’s jurisdiction must extinguish those fires by the noon, May 3rd deadline.

A “Category 3 open fire” counts as the following:

Material in three or more piles each not exceeding two metres in height and three metres in width.

Material in one or more piles each exceeding two metres in height or three metres in width, one or more windrows, each not exceeding 200 metres in length or 15 metres in width, or stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 hectares.

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The ban applies to all public and private land within the Kamloops Fire Centre jurisdiction, unless specified otherwise in an enactment (e.g. in a local government bylaw).

Before lighting any fire, people should check with local government authorities to see if any other burning restrictions are in effect.

For those who don’t wish to follow the prohibitions fines may be issued around $1,150. The fines can skyrocket for BC residents that don’t wish to follow the Category three fire ban.

Administrative penalties can reach as high as $10,000 or, if convicted in court, the fine can reach as high as $100,000 and/or result in a one year jail sentance.

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If the fire contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs. That could take an entire lifetime (and more) to pay off.

This prohibition does not include Category 1 campfires or Category 2 open fires. More information on the types of open burning can be found here: http://ow.ly/LnVi50OpCwj

To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 6635555 toll-free or *5555 on a cell phone.

For up-to-date information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, call 1 888 3-FOREST or visit: www.bcwildfire.ca