Photo: hellobc.com

Heading outdoors over the long weekend?

Here's some handy flooding, fire safety, camping and boating tips.

• Campers are advised to visit the BC Parks website and Recreation Sites and Trails BC website for conditions and closures due to unseasonably high water levels.
• Given the heavy rainfall and runoff over the past few weeks, everyone is urged to use caution in areas that are susceptible to high water flows, flooding and landslides.
• Just 15 centimetres of moving water can sweep you off your feet, and as little as 60 cm can carry away most vehicles.
• Floodwaters can quickly wash out roads and bridges.
• Gates in provincial parks and some recreation sites close at 11 p.m., unless otherwise stated. 
• Liquor consumption is prohibited in parks except within your own campsite.
• Lock up food in your vehicle overnight to avoid attracting bears.
• Campfires must not be larger than 0.5 metres high or 0.5 metres wide. Never leave a campfire unattended.
• Have a shovel or water to properly extinguish your campfire.
• If you start a forest fire, you could be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail.
• All-terrain vehicles must be insured if they will be driven on forest service roads.
• To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone.
• Never drink and boat.
• Even the smallest outboard motor, electric motor, or backup motor means you must have a Pleasure Craft Operators Card. An in-person or online boating safety course will cost about $50.
• Every boat on the water needs to have a lifejacket for every person on board.
• Boats with 10 horsepower or more must be licensed.