Beginning this week, campfires will be prohibited throughout all of Vancouver Island and much of the coastal mainland.
This fire ban will take effect beginning at noon on Thursday, July 17th, and will be in effect until October 31st, or until the order is rescinded.
As of this publication, the only areas excluded from this fire ban are the Haida Gwaii Forest District and North Island Central Coast Forest District.
In addition to campfires and any open fire that would qualify as a Category 2 or 3 fire, the BC Wildfire Service also prohibits:
- Fireworks
- Binary exploding targets
- 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
- Burn barrels or burn cages of any size
- Controlled air incinerators
- Air curtain burners
- Carbonizers
Propane fireplaces and outdoor camp stoves are still permitted.
“Open fire is the largest cause of human-caused fires provincially,” said the BC Wildfire Service in a media release.
“Human-caused wildfires are entirely preventable and may divert crucial resources from naturally occurring and/or existing wildfires.”
The BC Wildfire Service added that prohibitions are a useful tool to reduce the likelihood of more human-caused fires.
The newly imposed Category 1 fire ban, that includes any open flame campfire, applies to all areas outside of municipalities’ jurisdiction, although most municipalities on Vancouver Island reportedly mirror the prohibitions imposed by the BC Wildfire Service.
Those found in contravention of an open fire prohibition may face the following consequences:
- A violation ticket for $1,150
- An administrative penalty of up to $10,000
- A fine of up to $100,000
- One year in jail
Additionally, if the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
