Back Country Ban Lifted

The BC Wildfire Service is lifting the back country ban that’s been in effect for a couple weeks in the Cariboo Fire Centre.

Chief information officer Kevin Skrepnek says it was the first ban of that kind since 2003, and it was a move to reduce human caused fires.

“We believe the threat has lessened to the extent that we’re happy to reign in something that unusual, that disruptive,” says Skrepnek.

He says the ban — which took effect Aug. 11 — prevented people from using lakes or pursuing other recreational activities on Crown land.

“We don’t want people to get complacent as a result of us taking this off. There is still hazards out there, but we’re confident we can reign this in from a prevention perspective.”

A ban on off-road vehicles on Crown land remains in effect for the Cariboo, Southeast and Kamloops fire centres.

The Wildfire Service has also lifted campfire bans in the Northwest and Prince George fire centres, other than in the Nadina and Vanderhoof Forest Districts.

“That is all to do with the weather in those areas. We’re seeing significantly less threat from potential campfire starts there,” says Skrepnek.