Fire restrictions begin April 2

Play it safe with back-yard burning.

The beautiful weather forecasted for the Easter weekend will undoubtedly inspire British Columbians to get out in their yards and gardens and start cleaning up the winter debris. There’s nothing quite like the smell of burning leaves to bring back a childhood memory of jumping in a pile of freshly-raked leaves.

Forests and Range Minister, Pat Bell, is urging British Columbians to exercise caution with backyard burning activities this spring. “We want to encourage people to reduce the wildfire hazards around their homes and we are reminding everyone to act responsibly by following all provincial and local fire safety rules. This is particularly critical in areas that experienced a fairly dry winter and spring. The best way to fight wildfires is to prevent them in the first place.”

The BC FireSmart Manual outlines many simple preventative steps to ensure conditions are safe when burning the leaves and branches in your yard.

• Prune tree branches to a height of 2m or more
• Remove all trees, long grass, shrubs, logs, branches, twigs and needles within 10m of the house
• Thin trees (with 3-6m between crowns) for at least 30m from the house
• Store firewood 10m or more from the house.

It is the responsibility of residents to create a fuel-free zone or fuel break around a burn area to prevent grass fires from escaping. Some other standards are:

• Ensure a fire site is away from buildings, trees and combustible materials
• Be aware of windy conditions that can spread sparks
• Make sure that water, hand tools (shovel, etc.) and helping hands are available in case a fire should escape
• Never leave a fire unattended until it is completely out
• Check with your local government agencies for current burning bylaws.

Beginning April 2, 2010, open fire restrictions apply to grass fires and open fires larger than 1 sq. m within most fire jurisdictions. For some areas, you must obtain a burn registration number to burn piles larger than 3m wide by 2m high or for burns exceeding 0.2 hectares (more than 2,000sq.m). A number can be attained free of charge at 1-888-797-1717.

The BC Wildfire Act specifies that when using fire on or within 1km of forest land or grassland, a person may be held responsible for any suppression costs incurred should that fire get out of control. Remember that grasses are cured and vulnerable to fire starts, especially in windy conditions.

Wildfires or unattended campfires can be reported by calling 1-800 663-5555 or *5555 on most cellular networks.

For further information on safe backyard burning and how to protect your property, visit http://www.bcwildfire.ca.

For the BC FireSmart manual, visit http://bcwildfire.ca/FightingWildfire/safety/pamphlets/FireSmart-BC4.pdf.