As summer progresses, the province is tightening measures to help reduce wildfire risk along B.C.'s coast.
B.C.'s Ministry of Forests announced on Wednesday that it's banning most open burning activities throughout the Coastal Fire Centre's jurisdiction, which includes the Sea to Sky, Sunshine Coast, the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, Haida Gwaii, Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park and the Fraser Valley.
The order bans category 2 and category 3 open fires, essentially meaning any open pile of flames larger than a half-metre high by a half-metre wide campfire. In addition to small campfires, cooking stoves that run on gas, propane or briquettes are allowed under the ban.
However, anyone lighting a campfire must remove flammable debris from around the campfire area and have a hand tool or at least eight litres of water available nearby to properly extinguish the fire, according to the province.
The prohibition applies to all public and private land (unless otherwise specified). It is set to go into effect at noon this Friday, July 15, and will remain in place until October 28, 2022, or until the order is rescinded, according to the Ministry.
"People are asked to check with local government authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire," reads a release announcing the ban.
Also prohibited under B.C.'s Wildlife Act is the lighting of fireworks and sky lanterns, binary exploding targets, burn barrels or cages and air curtain burners.
Anyone found contravening the open fire prohibition could be slapped with a $1,150 ticket, required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the violation causes or contributes to a wildfire, the individual responsible may even be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
Wildfires, unattended campfires or open fire violations can be reported by phone at 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 from a cell phone.
The latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories can be found on BC Wildfire Service's website.
