Campfires will be banned throughout the province starting at noon on Wednesday.
This is added on top of the already existing Category 2 and 3 burn ban.
The B.C. Government classifies a campfire as any fire smaller than half a metre in any direction.
Measures are expected to lift on October 15th, or sooner if conditions change.
B.C. officials said the ban will help reduce the risk of wildfires this season after this week’s record-breaking heat.
“This follows a spring of lower-than-average precipitation in the southern half of the province. These conditions are expected to persist in the coming weeks,” said B.C. Government officials.
According to the B.C. Government, preventable human-caused wildfires divert important resources away from combating lightning-caused fires.
“Additional precautions are being undertaken throughout the province, including fire warden patrols, fixed-wing aircraft patrols and an active enforcement presence. Wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility,” explained officials.
The campfire ban and Category 2 and Category 3 open fires include the following:
- A fire larger than two meters high by three meters wide.
- Three or more piles burning at the same time, no larger than the size mentioned above.
- Burning off one or more windrows.
- Burning of grass over an area larger than 0.2 hectares.
- Fireworks
- Sky lanterns
- Burn barrels and cages
- Torches
- Outdoor stoves or other portable campfire set up without a Canadian Standards Association or Underwriter Laboratories of Canada rating
- Exploding targets
Wildfires, violations of the burn ban and unattended campfires can be reported to 1-800-663-5555 or by texting *5555 on a cell phone.
