By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
All campfires will be prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre from noon on August 28, ahead of the long weekend and on the heels of Environment Canada issuing a Heat Warning for the Southern Interior with temperatures reaching up to 39°C. Campfires are also banned in Coastal and Cariboo Fire Centres.
The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) said it was prohibiting all categories of campfires to “help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.”
“Camping is a long-standing tradition in this province. The BC government recognizes that people also enjoy having campfires, so it takes any decision to implement a campfire ban very seriously,” it said.
Across parts of Southern BC, the BCWS is seeing very dry conditions with relative humidity (RH) in the 7 to 15 per cent range. RH affects the level of moisture in the forest fuels, with dry air drying out fine fuels and making them more receptive to ignition.
“When combined, this hot and dry weather and lack of precipitation are leading to an increased potential for new fire starts,” the BCWS said in its update early this week.
“Wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility. Human-caused wildfires are completely preventable and divert critical resources away from lightning-caused wildfires,” the BCWS said.
Map of the Kamloops Fire Centre. All campfires will be banned in areas within the map area from Thursday noon. Campfires are also banned in the Coastal, and Cariboo Fire Centres.
BCWS map
This campfire prohibition will remain in effect until Oct. 17 at noon or until the orders are rescinded.
In addition to campfires being prohibited, the following activities and equipment are also restricted:
- Air curtain burners;
- Carbonizers;
- Binary exploding targets;
- Fireworks, as defined in the Fireworks Act of BC;
- Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description;
- Controlled air incinerators;
- Sky lanterns;
- Wood fired hot tubs, wood fired pizza ovens and other wood fired devices unless vented through a structure that has a flue and is incorporated in a building.
This prohibition applies to all public and private land within the Kamloops Fire Centre jurisdiction, unless specified otherwise in a municipal bylaw for instance.
Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150, 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 contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1-800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cell phone. 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 .
