BC Wildfire Service to lift campfire prohibition across Southeast Fire Centre Sept. 1

BC Wildfire Service will rescind its Category 1 campfire prohibition across the Southeast Fire Centre at noon Sept. 1. Category 2 and Category 3 open fires remain prohibited, and local restrictions may still apply.

BC Wildfire Service graphic

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The BC Wildfire Service will lift its Category 1 campfire prohibition across the Southeast Fire Centre at noon Tuesday, Sept. 1, following recent precipitation and improving wildfire conditions.

The rescission applies throughout the Southeast Fire Centre, including the Boundary Fire Zone, but municipal restrictions may remain in place and residents within municipalities should check local rules before lighting a fire.

BC Wildfire Service said Monday that current and forecast conditions, recent precipitation and improved overnight recoveries have reduced the need for the Category 1 prohibition. The agency said it considers the needs of the public alongside the risk of human-caused wildfires when deciding whether restrictions should remain in place.

Category 2 and Category 3 open fires will remain prohibited after the Category 1 restriction is lifted. Air curtain burners, carbonizers, fireworks, binary exploding targets, burn barrels and burn cages, and controlled-air incinerators also remain restricted.

The Sept. 1 change will again allow activities that had been included in the Category 1 prohibition, including the use of sky lanterns and certain wood-fired hot tubs, pizza ovens and other wood-fired devices.

Anyone lighting a campfire must continue to follow provincial wildfire regulations. Fires should not be lit in windy conditions, a fuel break must be established and maintained, and a campfire cannot be left unattended. It must be completely extinguished before anyone leaves the area.

If a fire spreads beyond its fuel break, the person responsible must immediately carry out fire control and extinguish the fire if practicable, and report it as soon as practicable.

The provincial rescission does not override separate municipal restrictions. BC Wildfire Service advises people within municipalities to check whether local prohibitions remain in place, while regional district and improvement district restrictions may also apply in addition to provincial rules.

As of Monday evening, the City of Greenwood's website was still listing its municipal prohibition on all open burning, including campfires. That prohibition was originally scheduled to remain in place until Oct. 31 unless rescinded earlier.

Grand Forks also has its own rules governing campfires. A municipal campfire permit is required within the city, and the city's regulations prohibit burning while a fire ban is in effect even when a permit has already been issued. Residents should confirm the current municipal status before burning.

The remaining Category 2 and Category 3 restrictions apply broadly outside municipal boundaries and to specified lands within municipalities, including provincial parks and conservancies, recreation sites and trails, ecological reserves, wildlife management areas and private managed forest land. The prohibition also continues to apply to all lands within the villages of Slocan and Silverton.

BC Wildfire Service says anyone who violates an open-fire prohibition may receive a $1,150 ticket or an administrative penalty of up to $10,000. A conviction in court can carry a fine of up to $100,000 and up to one year in jail, with higher penalties possible when a fire causes or contributes to a wildfire.

Wildfires, unattended campfires and open-burning violations can be reported by calling *5555 from a cellphone, 1-800-663-5555 toll-free or through the BC Wildfire Service app.

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