May 17, 2024 - Fire Prohibition

May 17, 2024
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations
and Rural Development
BC Wildfire Service

Specifically, this prohibition refers to the following activities:

“Category 2 open fire” which means an open fire, other than a category 1 campfire, that:

1. Burns material in one pile not exceeding 2 m in height and 3 m in width;
2. Burns material concurrently in 2 piles each not exceeding 2 m in height and 3 m in width; or
3. Burns stubble or grass over an area that does not exceed 0.2 ha.

“Category 3 open fire” which means an open fire that burns:

1. Material concurrently in 3 or more piles each not exceeding 2 m in height and 3 m in width;
2. Material in one or more piles each exceeding 2 m in height or 3 m in width;
3. One or more windrows, each not exceeding 200 m in length or 15 m in width; or
4. Stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 ha.

Also prohibited are the activities listed below (Wildfire Act, Section 12):

• Fireworks;
• Sky Lanterns;
• Binary Exploding Targets;
• Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description; and
• Air Curtain Burners.

This prohibition does not apply to Category 1 campfires* that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller, or to cooking stoves that use natural gas, propane, or briquettes.

Anyone lighting a campfire must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable debris from around the campfire area and have a hand tool or at least eight litres of water available nearby to properly extinguish the fire.

Anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $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.

To report a wildfire, unattended campfire, or open fire violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cell phone. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, visit the BC Wildfire Service website.

Contact:
Fire Information Officer
Coastal Fire Centre
BC Wildfire Service
250-951-4209

From the BC Wildfire Service website: https://blog.gov.bc.ca/bcwildfire/coastal-fire-centre-to-enact-a-category-2-and-category-3-open-fire-prohibition/

*All campfires in the District require a burning permit. To check if your property qualifies visit: www.kentbc.ca/BurnPermitApp/

Apply for a permit by visiting: www.kentbc.ca/burn