How the pipeline explosion affects you and whether you're going to run out of natural gas

British Columbians are being asked to avoid any "non-essential" use of natural gas after one of Enbridge's pipelines exploded and caught fire northeast of Prince George on Tuesday.

The line ruptured and exploded, and a second line was temporarily shut down as a precaution.

There is no timeline for a fix on the mainline.

Here's what we know about what that means for you.

Why am I being asked to cut back on natural gas?

The primary natural gas pipeline damaged in the explosion linksthe Fort Nelson area to Vancouver. There are another 750,000 customers in the northwest United States.

Until the line isfixed, natural gas supply across the provincewill be limited.

How limited?

FortisBC is receiving a reduced gas flow approximately 40 per cent of its normal capacity while Enbridge makes repairs to its system.

The smaller of the two lineshas been restartedat a lower pressure, but analysts say that still leaves between 600 million and 800 million cubic feet per day of gas without an easy path to market.

So ... am I going to run out?

Hopefully not. Doug Stout, vice-president of external relations withFortisBC, said there was a risk that 700,000 customers in theLower Mainland would run out when both pipelines were down, but that risk is lower now that the smaller pipeline is back on.

"Without supplies, for a period of time, then it is a question of having to turn customers' supplies off," he said.

FortisBC depends on theEnbridgeline for about 85 per cent of the gas it delivers to its one million customers.

Are companies and institutions cutting back, too?

Yes. Stout said Fortis' industrial customers in B.C. are under restrictions, though some have begun to be brought back onto the system with reduced amounts of natural gas.

The University of the Fraser Valley and the British Columbia Institute of Technology have either lowered or stopped heating buildings on their main campuses until further notice to conserveresources.

The University of British Columbia which has a campus at the end of a natural gas pipeline has asked non-essential users to immediately stop using natural gas.

What about gas prices?

Oil refineries use natural gas,so a shortage could drive up prices. On Thursday, Stoutsaidthe Lower Mainland could see a four- to eight-cent jump in gas prices over the weekend.

How long will it take to fix the pipeline?

FortisBC told CBC News it is waiting to hear from Enbridgeon a timeline.

TheNational Energy Board (NEB) is working on a return-to-service plan once the line is fixed. Indigenous communities and landowners will need to be consulted.

What caused the blast?

The Transportation Safety Board is still investigating, with support from Enbridgeand the NEB. The RCMPhasdetermined the explosion wasn't criminal in nature.

Iain Colquhoun, the NEB's chief engineer, said a cause should be determined within"days."

With files from Yvette Brend, Daybreak Kamloops, Daybreak North and the Canadian Press

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