KAMLOOPS – Effective at noon Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on Aug. 28, Category 1 campfires will be prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety. This campfire prohibition will remain in effect until Oct. 17 at noon or until the orders are rescinded.
A map of the affected area is available here.
As of Aug. 28, the following open fires are prohibited in the Kamloops Fire Centre;
- Category 1 campfires as defined in the Wildfire Regulation;
- Category 2 open fire as defined in the Wildfire Regulation; and,
- Category 3 open fire as defined in the Wildfire Regulation.
A campfire is defined as:
- Any fire no larger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide (a fire larger than this is considered a Category 2 fire).
- Used by any person for recreational purposes or by a First Nation for a ceremonial purpose.
In addition to campfires being prohibited, the following activities and equipment are also restricted:
- Air curtain burners
- Carbonizers
- Binary exploding targets
- Fireworks, as defined in the Fireworks Act of BC
- Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
- Controlled air incinerators
- Sky lanterns
- Wood fired hot tubs, wood fired pizza ovens and other wood fired devices unless vented through a structure that has a flue and is incorporated in a building
This prohibition applies 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). Before lighting any fire, people should check with local government authorities to see if any other burning restrictions are in effect.
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.
This prohibition does not include the use of outdoor stoves. As per the Wildfire Regulation, an outdoor stove is a CSA-rated or ULC-rated device used outdoors for cooking, heat or ambiance that burns charcoal briquettes, liquid fuel or gaseous fuel, and has a flame height that is less than 15 cm tall.
Camping is a long-standing tradition in this province. The B.C. government recognizes that people also enjoy having campfires, so it takes any decision to implement a campfire ban very seriously. 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, unattended campfire 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:
- on the free BC Wildfire Service app, available for Apple (iOS) and Android devices
- on X (formerly Twitter)
- on Facebook
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.