Ban on category 2 fires going into effect in the Okanagan, Thompson-Nicola region

The BC Wildfire Service has announced a burning ban for the Kamloops Fire Centre in an effort to prevent human-caused wildfires.

At noon on Friday, all category two open fires will not be allowed anywhere in the fire centre, which starts at the Canada-US border south of Osoyoos and stretches north past Clearwater and stretches from just west of Revelstoke towards Lillooet.

Category three fires have been banned since May 16.

A category 2 open fire refers to any fire that burns material in one pile not exceeding 2 metres in height and 3 metres in width.

It also includes fires that burn material concurrently in 2 piles, each not exceeding 2 metres in height and 3 metres in width as well as stubble or grass over an area that does not exceed 0.2 hectares (2,000 square metres).

This new ban does not include campfires.

In addition to category two and three fires the following equipment and activities 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, except when used for a Category 1 campfire as defined in the Wildfire Regulation, and

• controlled air incinerators

The ban on category two fires will remain in place until noon on Oct. 17, or until the order is rescinded by the BC Wildfire Service.

The ban applies to all public and private land within the Kamloops Fire Centre, unless specified otherwise in a local government bylaw.

Anyone found breaking the rules 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.

More information can be found here.

^{Thumbnail photo credit: BC Wildfire Service file picture}