With the first long weekend of the summer, an open fire ban is going to be in place.

Fire Information Officer Jillian Chimko says the ban starts on Saturday.

"We have an open fire ban on category 2 open fires, which means anything larger than one meter by one meter. So any burn piles and things like that are prohibited this weekend and for the rest of the summer, or until we rescind the order. Campfires are still allowed, which are half a meter by half a meter, as long as you follow the necessary precautions when you have a campfire."

The ban also includes fireworks.

Chimko says it's important to ensure that the number of human caused fires are limited.

She says a lot of crews in the Prince George Fire Centre could potentially be needed out of province, so they want to limit the amount of time crews spend on human caused fires.

If someone is caught burning while the ban is on, they could face a fine of 345 dollars, or even up to 100 thousand dollars if their fire contributes to a wildfire.

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