Wildfires are rare in B.C. at this time of year, but the smoke from legally registered open burns is often mistaken for smoke from a wildfire. This is especially true in late fall and early spring, when such fires are often lit to dispose of vegetation and wood debris.
To help members of the public locate these registered burns, the BC Wildfire Service provides public access to an interactive map that displays details and locations for all active Category 3 burn registrations, as well as any registrations that have expired in the last seven days.
A Category 3 open fire is a fire that burns:
- material piled more than two metres high or three metres wide,
- stubble or grass over more than 0.2 hectares,
- more than two piles of any size.
Anyone wishing to light a Category 3 open fire must first obtain a burn registration number by calling 1-888-797-1717. Burn registration numbers are then logged into the Open Fire Tracking System, which allows the BC Wildfire Service to map and track open burning activity throughout B.C. Registered open burns are typically conducted on industrial sites, private property or farms to dispose of debris or clear fields for new crops. Smaller Category 2 open fires, such as backyard burning, do not require a registration number and are not displayed on this interactive map.
Open burning can occur in the fall and spring when the wildfire risk is generally low. However, open fires can create significant amounts of smoke and may appear quite intense, especially at night, even though they are burning safely within their planned boundaries.
The Wildfire Act sets out specific requirements that anyone who engages in open burning must adhere to, and all such fires must also comply with air quality control legislation. Local venting conditions, which must be checked before lighting a Category 3 open fire, can be obtained online at: www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/epdpa/venting/venting.html or by calling 1-888-281-2992.
Although wildfires are uncommon this late in the year, when in doubt, the public is urged to report smoke and flames through the BC Wildfire Service mobile app or by calling 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on a cell phone.
For more information about safe open burning practices, visit the BC Wildfire Service website.