THE ARRIVAL of fall and the rainy season has decreased the risk of wildfire.
And that means as of noon today, open firest will be permitted in the region once again.
"This rescinding of the open fire prohibition applies to all BC Parks, Crown lands and private lands, but does not apply within the boundaries of local governments that have forest fire prevention bylaws and are serviced by fire departments," reads a notice from the forest service's Northwest Fire Centre in Smithers.
"Please check with civic authorities for any restrictions before lighting a fire," the notice continues.
There are requirements to obtain permission to burn larger amounts of material.
"Anyone who lights an open fire must have sufficient personnel, water and tools on hand to stop the fire from escaping. Never light a fire in windy conditions, never leave a fire unattended and make sure that the ashes are completely cold to the touch before leaving the area. Anyone who lights a campfire must have a hand tool, such as a shovel, or at least eight litres of water nearby to fully extinguish it," the fire centre notice continued.
The Northwest Fire Centre covers the area from Burns Lake to the West Coast and from Tweedsmuir Park to the Yukon border.