Effective at noon on Thursday, July 26, 2018, campfires will be prohibited throughout the Southeast Fire Centre which includes Fernie, the Elk Valley and Southcountry, to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.
This campfire ban will remain in place until the public is otherwise notified.
The Southeast Fire Centre is currently experiencing hot and dry conditions. The fire danger rating is “moderate” in some areas, with larger areas rated “high” and “extreme”. Forest fuels are drying out quickly, and hot weather and dry lightning are in the forecast. It is crucial to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires, so the BC Wildfire Service can deal with any naturally occurring fires that start in the region.
This prohibition applies to all public and private land unless specified otherwise – for example, in a local government bylaw. Please check with local government authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire.
The following activities are also prohibited:
* the use of outdoor stoves and portable campfire apparatuses that are not CSA-approved or ULC-approved
* the use of chimneas, air curtain burners, sky lanterns, fireworks, firecrackers, burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
* the use of tiki torches and similar kinds of torches
* the use of binary exploding targets (e.g. for rifle target practice)
These prohibitions do not apply to CSA-rated or ULC-rated cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to a portable campfire apparatus that uses briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, so long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.
Prohibitions on larger Category 2 and Category 3 open fires remain in effect throughout the Southeast Fire Centre.
Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of $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.
A map of the area affected by these prohibitions is here:
The Southeast Fire Centre extends from the U.S. border in the south to Mica Dam in the north, and from the Okanagan Highlands and Monashee Mountains in the west to the B.C.-Alberta border in the east.
Report a wildfire or open burning violation by calling 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to bcwildfire.ca
