Campfire prohibitions to rescind in Kamloops Fire Centre



KAMLOOPS – As a result of favourable weather over the last week and cooler conditions forecast in the coming days, Category 1 campfires will again be permitted throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre, effective at 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, June 16, 2023.

A campfire is defined as an open fire that burns piled material no larger than 0.5 metres high and 0.5 metres wide. The following precautions must be in place when lighting or making use of a campfire:

  • There is ready access to a shovel or at least eight litres of water the entirety of the time the campfire is lit
  • There is a fuel break around the campfire, free of any debris or combustible materials
  • The fire is fully extinguished and the ashes are cold to the touch before leaving the campfire for any length of time

Category 2 and Category 3 open fires remain prohibited until noon on Oct. 13, 2023, or until the orders are rescinded.

In addition to open fires being prohibited, the following activities and equipment are also restricted:

  • Fireworks
  • Sky Lanterns
  • Binary Exploding Targets
  • Air Curtain Burners
  • Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description, except when used for a Category 1 campfire as defined by the Wildfire Regulation

To learn more about the different categories of open burning, visit the Open Burning webpage.

These prohibitions apply to all public and private land within the Kamloops Fire Centre jurisdiction, unless specified otherwise in an enactment (e.g., in a local government bylaw). Always check with local government authorities to see if any other burning restrictions are in effect.

A map of the area can be found here.

Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a 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.

Wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility. Human-caused wildfires are completely preventable and divert critical resources away from lightning-caused wildfires.

The Kamloops Fire Centre would like to thank the public for its continuing help in preventing wildfires. To report a wildfire, or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cell phone. For up-to-date information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, call 1 888 3-FOREST or visit: www.bcwildfire.ca

People can follow the latest wildfire news:

Contact:

Fire Information Officer

BC Wildfire Service

Kamloops Fire Centre

250 554-5965 Connect with the Province of B.C. at www.gov.bc.ca/connect