Effective at noon, June 19, all open fires will again be permitted throughout the Coastal Fire Centre’s jurisdiction. This rescind is the result of recent rainfall that has reduced the wildfire risk in the region.
According to a media release from the Coastal Fire Centre, the public is asked to undertake open burning responsibly, and to follow guidance to ensure burning is conducted in a safe manner. While the BC Wildfire Service has developed protocols for staff to safely respond to wildfires and reduce the risk from COVID-19, the centre asks for the public’s assistance to reduce the likelihood of a forest fire.
The release states this rescind order means campfires, category 2 and 3 open fires, and resource management burning, are permitted everywhere in the Coastal Fire Centre’s jurisdictional area.
Local governments may still have their own burning restrictions in place, and people intending to light a fire should always check with local authorities before lighting any fire of any size, the release stated.
Anyone lighting a category 3 open fire must first obtain a burn registration number by calling 1.888.797.1717. A category 3 open fire is a fire that burns material more than two metres high or three metres wide, stubble or grass of more than 2,000 square metres, or more than two piles of any size. A poster explaining the different categories of open burning is available online http://ow.ly/znny309kJv5.
The release states that anyone who lights a fire must comply with BC’s air quality control legislation. The BC Wildfire Service urges people to take the following precautions with any permitted outdoor burning:
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Ensure that enough people, water and tools are on hand to control the fire and stop it from escaping
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Do not burn in windy conditions. The weather can change quickly, and the wind may carry embers to other combustible material and start new fires
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Create a fireguard around the planned fire site by clearing away twigs, grass, leaves and other combustible material
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Never leave a fire unattended
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Make sure the fire is fully extinguished, and the ashes are cold to the touch before leaving the area for any length of time
Coastal Fire Centre covers all of the area west of the height of land on the Coast Mountain Range from the USA/Canada border at Manning Park, including Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park in the north, the Sunshine Coast, the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Haida Gwaii.
To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1.800.663.5555 or *5555 on a cellphone.
