KAMLOOPS — Effective at 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, July 15, 2022, Category 2 open fires as well as other equipment and activities will be prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre.
These prohibitions are in addition to the Category 3 open fire prohibition implemented on June 30, 2022, and are being enacted to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.
These prohibitions will remain in effect until noon on Oct. 15, 2022, or until the orders are rescinded. Anyone conducting Category 2 open fires within the Kamloops Fire Centre’s jurisdiction must extinguish those fires by the July 15 deadline.
A map of the affected area is available online here.
As of noon on Friday, July 15, specific prohibited open fires and equipment and activities will include:
• Category 2 open fires;
• Category 3 open fires;
• Fireworks;
• Sky Lanterns and,
• Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description, except when used for a campfire as defined by the Wildfire Regulation.
Campfires, as defined in the Wildfire Regulation are not being prohibited at this time.Responsible campfire use follows the campfire regulations.
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). 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.
Learn more about the different categories of open burning on the open burning webpage.
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 bcwildfire.ca
People can follow the latest wildfire news:
• on the free BC Wildfire Service public mobile app, available for Apple (iOS) and Android devices
• on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo
• on Facebook: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo
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.