The BC Wildfire Service lifted the ban at noon on Monday, Sept. 18. It had been in place since July 6.
Campfires are back for much of southwest B.C.
The BC Wildfire Service lifted the ban for the Coastal Fire Centre region at noon on Monday, Sept. 18. It had been in place since July 6 and was expected to last well into October.
The use of tiki torches, outdoor stoves, gas stoves and other portable campfire equipment is also now permitted. The Coastal Fire Centre covers all of the area west of the height of land on the Coast Mountain Range from the U.S.-Canada border at Manning Park, including Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park in the north, the Sunshine Coast, Metro Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Haida Gwaii.
This map provided by the Coastal Fire Centre shows the area affected by the campfire ban being lifted.
Sky lanterns, binary exploding targets, burn barrels and burn cages are still prohibited.
Some parts of southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands have received very little rainfall in recent weeks. Campers and other outdoorsy types are reminded to take the following precautions when lighting a campfire:
Select the campfire site carefully and remove all leaves, twigs and other flammable material from the area.
Create a fire break by scraping away debris right down to the dirt around the fire.
Use a fire pit or put a ring of rocks around the campfire site that is at least three metres away from trees, shrubs, structures and other flammable materials.
Campfires must not be bigger than a half-metre wide and a half-metre high.
Never leave a campfire unattended.
Keep at least eight litres of water or a shovel close by at all times to extinguish your campfire properly.
Make sure that your campfire is completely extinguished before going to sleep. Ensure that the fire is completely extinguished and the ashes are cold to the touch before leaving the area for any length of time.
The ban is separate from most, if not all, local government bylaws around burning and residents should check with local fire authorities before lighting a fire of any size.
The fines for burning during a fire ban range between $1,150 and $10,000. If convicted in court, a guilty party can be fined up to $100,000 or sentenced to one year in jail. Those found to cause or contribute to a wildfire can be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
To report a wildfire or open burning violation, call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone. For up-to-date information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, call 1-888-3-FOREST or visit bcwildfire.ca.
jkurucz@vancourier.com
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