UPDATE: Campfire bans lifting for 3 BC fire centres this week

(UPDATE: Aug. 26 @ 3:25 pm) – Shortly after NowMedia published our original story, the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) announced two additional campfire bans will also be lifted this week.

In addition to the Southeast Fire Centre’s ban being lifted at noon on Monday, the BCWS will be lifting the ban for the Kamloops and Coastal fire centres.

Those bans will not be lifted until Wednesday, Aug. 28 at noon, however.

The wildfire fighting agency says decreased temperatures, increased precipitation and higher relative humidity have allowed for the bans to be lifted.

Although those conditions are ideal and fire danger ratings have significantly dropped across BC, category 2 and category 3 open fires remain prohibited in the Kamloops Fire Center until noon on Oct. 11, 2024, or until the orders are rescinded.

Fireworks, sky lanterns, binary exploding targets, air curtain burners and burn barrels or burn cages are also reduced.

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.

(Original story: Aug. 26 @ 3 pm) – After a weekend of cooler temperatures and rain, another campfire ban is ending in BC.

As of noon on Monday, the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) will be removing the ban in place for the Southeast Fire Centre.

Although the fire danger ratings range from low to very low for the southeast corner of the province, people are reminded to continue exercising caution when lighting fires.

“Anyone lighting a campfire in an area where campfires are allowed must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable debris from around the campfire area, always attend the fire, and must have a hand tool or at least eight litres of water available nearby to properly extinguish the campfire,” the BCWS says.

People should also check with the local regional district of municipality for local burning bylaws before lighting a campfire, the BCSW adds.

A category one open fire, or campfire, is defined as a fire that burns pile material no larger than 0.5 metres high and 0.5 m wide.

Although those smaller fires are allowed, category two and three open fires continue to be restricted across the province.

On Friday, the campfire ban was lifted for the Cariboo Fire Center as well.

The only remaining campfire ban is in the Kamloops Fire Center, with some local bans in place in the Cariboo, Coastal and Northwest.

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