Fraser Valley – UPDATE – Effective at Noon, Wednesday, July 18, all open burning (including campfires and Category 3 fires) will be prohibited within the Coastal Fire Centre’s jurisdiction, with the exception of Haida Gwaii and the area known as the fog zone.
Category 2 open burning is already prohibited in the region. The additional prohibitions will help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety. They will remain in effect until Octpber 19, 2018, or until the public is otherwise notified. A map of the affected areas is available online at: http://ow.ly/j94230kZQgz
The Coastal Fire Centre is implementing these prohibitions due to high temperatures and no rain in the immediate forecast.
These prohibitions apply to all public and private land, unless specified otherwise — for example, in a local government bylaw.
Check with local governments for any other restrictions before lighting any fire.
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.
The following activities are also prohibited:
- open fires that burn woody debris in outdoor stoves
- the use of stoves and other portable campfire apparatuses that are not CSA-approved or ULC-approved
- the use of tiki torches, fireworks, firecrackers, sky lanterns, chimineas, burning barrels or burning cages of any size or description
- the use of binary exploding targets (e.g. for rifle target practice)
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.
ORIGINAL STORY – This should not come as a surprise. A tweet on Monday afternoon from Alouette Parks said it all.
Campfire ban for the Coastal Fire Centre Area, including #GoldenEars and #RolleyLake Parks, begins at noon Wednesday July 18th! #bcparks
Alouette Parks is the Park Operator for Golden Ears and Rolley Lake Provincial Parks.
BC Parks is expected to have a formal release within the next 24 hours or so.
This ban affects Provincial campgrounds. Private campsite will be urged to follow and usually do.
The heat of the summer is now upon us and shouldn’t surprise anyone with the Wildfire season now in full swing.
