Effective noon Monday, May 31, 2021, Category Three open fires will be partially prohibited to the west side of the high-water mark of the Fraser River within the Cariboo Chilcotin Forest District and the Tsilhqot’in (Xeni Gwet’in) Declared Title Area (B.C. Government).

By Aaron Schulze

Fire Watch

Category Three open fire prohibition expands to Cariboo Chilcotin Forest District

May 29, 2021 | 10:00 AM

WILLIAMS LAKE — Effective noon Monday, May 31, 2021, Category Three open fires will be partially prohibited to the west side of the high-water mark of the Fraser River within the Cariboo Chilcotin Forest District and the Tsilhqot’in (Xeni Gwet’in) Declared Title Area.

The expanded open burning prohibition, which is being implemented in co-operation with the Tsilhqot’in National Government, is being done to prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.

Prohibited activities that would constitute a Category Three open fire include:

• any fires larger than two meters high by three meters wide
• three or more concurrently burning piles no larger than two meters high by three meters wide
• burning of one or more windrows
• burning of stubble or grass over an area greater than 0.2 hectares.

The prohibition will remain in place until Oct. 1, 2021, or until the public is otherwise notified. Category Three open fires have also been prohibited throughout the 100 Mile Forest District.

Question of the Week

Do you think Canada should respond to U.S. tariffs with retaliatory tariffs of our own?

Mar 03, 2025

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Slava Ukraini, Oh Canada!

Mar 03, 2025

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 Ways to Heal: The Opportunity of U.S. Tariffs

Mar 03, 2025

The Cariboo Chilcotin Forest District prohibition area stretches from Tweedsmuir Provincial Park to the Fraser River running from just above Mcleese Lake to just north of Lac La Hache. The 100 Mile Forest District stretches from the Fraser River in the west to Bridge Lake in the east. This area starts just below Clinton and runs north to just above Lac La Hache and Hendrix Lake.

However, the prohibition doesn’t ban campfires that are half-metre high by a high-metre wide or smaller and does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes. Category Three open fire prohibition applies to all B.C. Parks, Crown lands, and private lands, but doesn’t apply within the boundaries of a local government that has forest fire prevention bylaws in place and is serviced by a fire department.