Beginning this Friday, May 17th at noon, the BC government is banning most burning activities through the Coastal Fire Centre’s jurisdiction.
According to the Province, this is being done in an effort to reduce the risk of wildfires spreading as the weather gets warmer and conditions become more prone to burning.
The ban will prohibit all fires considered to be Category 2 and Category 3.
In essence, these include any burning activity that is not a small campfire, which is considered a Category 1 fire.
This ban will remain in effect from this Friday until October 31st, or until the Province rescinds the ban.
Fire ban
Specifically, the banning of Category 2 and Category 3 fires means the following activities are to be prohibited:
- Burning material in one pile that is larger than a half-metre high by a half-metre wide
- Burning material concurrently in two piles of any size
- Burning stubble or grass
- Burning one or more windrows, each not exceeding 200 metres in length or 15 metres in width
The following activities are also prohibited:
- Fireworks
- Sky lanterns
- Binary exploding targets
- Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
- Air curtain burners.
The areas in which these bans are to become effective are shown in a map below:
(More below)
The Province says this ban will be in effect on all affected public and private land, meaning people must abide by the prohibition, even on their own property.
As of Friday at noon, campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller will be the only ones that are still permitted.
Related:
In many municipalities, such as Saanich, all wood fires have been permanently banned throughout the year, with the only permitted burning being that of a propane or gas fueled fireplace.
The Coastal Fire Centre recommends that those hoping to light a fire of any kind double check with their local government’s bylaws to ensure it is legal in their community.
However, the Coastal Fire Centre stipulated that those having a fire are required to remove all flammable debris from around the fire, attend the fire for the duration of its burning and have at least eight litres of water on hand to extinguish the fire, if need be.
Consequences for ignoring ban
The Province says anyone caught breaking this fire ban could be given a violation ticket of $1,150 and may have to pay an administrative fee of up to $10,000.
Also, if someone breaks the ban, they can be taken to court for up to $100,000, sentenced to jail time and, they may be liable to pay for all associated firefighting costs to put out the blaze.
If a wildfire is seen in BC, it can be reported to the proper authorities by calling 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or dialling *5555 on a cell phone.
