Campfire Prohibitions to Start

• August 2, 2022
• • Member News

Effective at 12 p.m. (noon) on Thursday, August 4, 2022, campfires, will be prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety. This campfire prohibition will remain in effect until noon on Oct. 15, 2022, or until the orders are rescinded.

The Kamloops Fire Centre is currently experiencing hot and dry conditions and fire danger ratings are generally “high” or “extreme” throughout the fire centre. Category 2 and Category 3 open fires and Section 12 Equipment and Activities (listed below) are already prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre.

Camping is a long-standing tradition in this province. The B.C. government recognizes that people also enjoy having campfires, so it takes any decision to implement a campfire ban very seriously.

Wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility. Human-caused wildfires are completely preventable and divert critical resources away from lightning-caused wildfires.

As of noon on Thursday, August 4, the following activities are prohibited:

• Campfires as defined in the Wildfire Regulation;
• Category 2 open fire as defined in the Wildfire Regulation;
• Category 3 open fire as defined in the Wildfire Regulation;
• Fireworks;
• Sky Lanterns;
• Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description;
• Binary Exploding Targets;
• Tiki and similar kind of torches; and,
• Chimineas, outdoor stoves and other portable campfire apparatuses not CSA or ULC approved.

To learn more about the different categories of open burning, visit the Open Burning webpage.

These prohibitions apply to all public and private land within the Kamloops Fire Centre jurisdiction, unless specified otherwise in an enactment (e.g. in a local government bylaw). Always check with local government authorities to see if any other burning restrictions are in effect.

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.

The Kamloops Fire Centre would like to thank the public for its continuing help in preventing wildfires. To report a wildfire, 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: www.bcwildfire.ca

People can follow the latest wildfire news:

• on the free BC Wildfire Service public mobile app, available for Apple (iOS) and Android devices
• on Twitter: twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo
• on Facebook: facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo