More fire bans are on the way for residents of B.C.’s coast.
The Coastal Fire Centre (CFC) has announced that it will be extending its current fire ban order to the Sunshine Coast Forest District. The prohibition bans Category 1 campfires, which are the smallest permitted size of fire, effectively making all types of campfires prohibited in the area.
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The measures come into effect at noon Thursday, June 29, and are set to last until Oct. 31, unless the order is rescinded. The ban now covers the entirety of Vancouver Island and most of B.C.’s coast. The affected areas, designated as Prohibition Area A, prohibit the following:
- Category 1 campfires,
- Category 2 open fires,
- Category 3 open fires,
- Fireworks,
- Sky lanterns,
- Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description,
- Binary exploding targets,
- Air curtain burners,
- Chimneys, and
- Tiki and similar kinds of torches.
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- Category 1 Campfire
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- Category 2 Open fire
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- Category 3 Open fire | BC Wildfire Services
Several other forest districts under the CFC’s jurisdiction remain under Prohibition B. They are the Haida Gwaii Forest District, the North Island-Central Coast Fire District, the Sea to Sky Forest District and the Chilliwack Forest District.
Prohibition Area B prohibits the following:
- Category 2 open fires,
- Category 3 open fires,
- Fireworks,
- Sky lanterns,
- Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description,
- Binary exploding targets, and
- Air curtain burners.
A map of the affected areas can be found on the government website.
Camping stoves do not fall under the prohibition, provided they meet the regulations set out by Wildfire Act.
It’s important to remember that the consequences for breaking the prohibition are severe. In some cases, fines can reach up to $100,000 — or even end with imprisonment.
“Anyone who lights, fuels or uses an open fire when a fire prohibition is in place or fails to comply with an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150 or, if convicted in court, be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail,” reads the latest update from the CFC.
“If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be subject to a penalty of up to $100,000 and ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.”
If you spot a wildfire, report it by dialling *5555 on a cell or calling 1-800-663-5555.
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As of Thurs, June 29 2023, at 12pm, the Category 1 (campfire) prohibition on Vancouver Island and most Gulf Islands will be expanded to include the Sunshine Coast Forest District. https://t.co/Beh0KoINAB pic.twitter.com/w8gNh75bY2
— BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) June 28, 2023
Roger Collins
