Campfire ban lifts August 28 at noon

 From the Times Colonist

Rain and cooler weather bring end of campfire ban on Vancouver Island

Get ready to roast some hot dogs and marshmallows. 

The B.C. Wildfire Service said recent rains and cooler temperatures will allow it to lift the campfire ban on Vancouver Island as of noon on Wednesday. 

The ban had been in effect across the Coastal Fire Centre since July 12. 

Fire danger ratings across most of the Island are listed as very low, with some areas on the South Island listed as low. 

But there is a need for continued vigilance when it comes to campfires, the service said. 

“Although the fire danger has declined due to recent rainfall and cooler, more seasonal temperatures, the public is strongly encouraged to continue exercising extreme caution with any campfire,” the B.C. Wildfire Service said in a statement. 

A campfire is no larger than 50 centimetres high by 50 centimetres wide and can be be used for recreation or by a First Nation for a ceremonial purpose. 

Category 2 and Category 3 open fires for burning brush, debris and other materials remain prohibited. 

The use of fireworks, sky lanterns, binary exploding targets, burn barrels, burn cages and air curtain burners are also banned. 

Those restrictions will remain in place until Oct. 31, or until the order is rescinded. 

Campfire ban begins Friday, July 12

 

With the increased risk of new wildfire starts from current and forecast weather conditions, a provincewide campfire prohibition will take effect at 12 p.m. PDT on Friday, July 12, 2024.

Campfire Ban for Tahsis

Campfires to be banned in Coastal Fire Centre

7/17/2018 1:34 PM

PARKSVILLE - Effective at noon on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, all open burning (including campfires and Category 3 fires) will be prohibited within the Coastal Fire Centre's jurisdiction, with the exception of Haida Gwaii and the area known as the fog zone. Category 2 open burning is already prohibited in the region. The additional prohibitions will help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety. They will remain in effect until Oct. 19, 2018, or until the public is otherwise notified. A map of the affected areas is available online at: http://ow.ly/j94230kZQgz The Coastal Fire Centre is implementing these prohibitions due to high temperatures and no rain in the immediate forecast. Since April 1, 2018, 69% of wildfires in the Coastal Fire Centre have been caused by people. Human-caused wildfires are entirely preventable, and can divert critical firefighting resources away from naturally occurring wildfires. These prohibitions apply to all public and private land, unless specified otherwise - for example, in a local government bylaw. Please check with local government authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire. These prohibitions do not apply to CSA-rated or ULC-rated cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to a portable campfire apparatus that uses briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, so long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimeters. The following activities are also prohibited: * open fires that burn woody debris in outdoor stoves * the use of stoves and other portable campfire apparatuses that are not CSA-approved or ULC-approved * the use of tiki torches, fireworks, firecrackers, sky lanterns, chimineas, burning barrels or burning cages of any size or description * the use of binary exploding targets (e.g. for rifle target practice) Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of $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. The Coastal Fire Centre covers all of the area west of the height of land on the Coast Mountain Range from the U.S.-Canada border at Manning Park, including Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park in the north, the Sunshine Coast, the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Haida Gwaii. To report a wildfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to: bcwildfire.ca

All Fire Bans LIfted

Campfire prohibition rescinded in Coastal Fire Centre

9/18/2017 3:24 PM

PARKSVILLE - Effective at noon on Sept. 18, 2017, the BC Wildfire Service has rescinded the campfire prohibition that was in effect within the Coastal Fire Centre's jurisdiction. The use of tiki torches (and similar kinds of torches), outdoor stoves, gas stoves and other portable campfire equipment is also now permitted. A map of the affected areas is available online at: http://ow.ly/cHwI30ffC5O However, some activities are still prohibited within the Coastal Fire Centre's jurisdiction, including the use of: * fireworks (including firecrackers) * sky lanterns * binary exploding targets * burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description The current prohibition on Category 2 and Category 3 open fires also remains in place throughout the Coast Fire Centre's jurisdiction, except for the Fog Zone on Vancouver Island. Members of the public are reminded that local governments may have their own burning bylaws in place and campfires may still be prohibited within those areas. People should always check with local authorities before lighting any fire of any size. Some parts of southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands have received very little rainfall in recent weeks. Campers and other outdoor recreationalists are reminded to take the following precautions when lighting a campfire: * Select the campfire site carefully and remove all leaves, twigs and other flammable material from the area. * Create a fire break by scraping away debris right down to the dirt all around the fire. * Use a fire pit or put a ring of rocks around the campfire site that is at least three metres away from trees, shrubs, structures and other flammable materials. * Campfires must not be bigger than a half-metre wide and a half-metre high. * Never leave a campfire unattended. * Keep at least eight litres of water or a shovel close by at all times to extinguish your campfire properly. * Make sure that your campfire is completely extinguished before going to sleep. Ensure that the fire is completely extinguished and the ashes are cold to the touch before leaving the area for any length of time. 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. The Coastal Fire Centre covers all of the area west of the height of land on the Coast Mountain Range from the U.S.-Canada border at Manning Park, including Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park in the north, the Sunshine Coast, the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Haida Gwaii. To report a wildfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone. 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

OOops! Not at Leiner

The announcement of the lifting of the ban on campfires only covers the village, not Leiner campground. That is another jurisdiction.

Now it's legal to have a campfire at Leiner. Wienie roast, here we come.

Campfire Ban

Campers on B.C.’s west coast will have to forsake the marshmallows this weekend, with a campfire ban taking effect Thursday at noon.

The ban covers all open fires throughout the Coastal Fire Centre, with the exception of Haida Gwaii and a two-kilometre strip along the coast of Vancouver Island known as the “Fog Zone.”

The Coastal Fire Centre includes all of Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, Sea to Sky area, Sunshine Coast, central coast and Haida Gwaii.

The BC Wildfire Service says it’s implementing the ban because of soaring temperatures and an extended upcoming period with no rain in the forecast.

The complete ban includes:

• Campfires,
• Category 2 open fires,
• Category 3 open fires,
• Fires burning woody debris in outdoor stoves,
• The use of tiki torches, fireworks, firecrackers, sky lanterns, burning barrels or burning cages of any size or description,
• The use of binary exploding targets (e.g. for rifle target practice).

It does not include properly rated cooking stoves that use gas, propane, or briquettes.

Anyone caught breaking the ban could be on the hook for an $1,150 fine, an administrative penalty of up to $10,000, or if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to a year in jail.

If a fire started while the ban is in place starts a wildfire, the person responsible can be ordered to pay all costs associated with fighting the fire.

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