A campfire ban throughout the Coastal Fire Centre’s jurisdiction has been lifted for the Sunshine Coast, Lower Mainland and northern half of Vancouver Island.
BC Wildfire Service announced the ban was being lifted in those areas on Tuesday, August 30, in time for the Labour Day long weekend.
Recent wet, cooler weather with more in the forecast prompted the fire centre to lift the ban for some parts of the jurisdiction, said fire information officer Marg Drysdale.
Southern Vancouver Island still has a campfire ban in place.
“We are not lifting the campfire ban in the South Island Forest District,” said Drysdale. “We have not had enough rain, fire risk conditions there are still largely extreme. We’re going to be getting rain sooner in the other areas of Vancouver Island, so we’re going to hold off a little bit before we lift it there.”
City of Powell River already prohibits backyard burning outside of the months of April and November, so the recent announcement does not affect fires in the city.
Savary Island also continues to have a total fire ban on the island. Where the lift will apply locally is on Texada Island, north and south of Powell River.
Fireworks and open fires wider than three metres remain banned across the region.
BC Wildfire Service has a specific definition of what a campfire is: small and less than half a metre square in a well-maintained area that is fuel-free.
Anyone found in contravention of fire prohibitions many be fined $1,150, or if convicted in court, up to $100,000.
If the contravention causes or contributes to a forest fire, the person responsible may be subject to a penalty of $100,000 and ordered to pay for all firefighting and associated costs.
