To reduce the likelihood of wildfires caused by recreational activities, the Coastal Fire Centre in Parksville will prohibit campfires as of noon on Thursday for Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.
The ban will remain in effect until the end of October, or until the order is rescinded.
Outdoor gas stoves used for camping which are CSA or ULC rated and approved are exempt from the ban, along with devices that burn charcoal briquettes, liquid fuel or gaseous fuel, and have a flame height less than 15 centimetres.
The earlier ban on Category 2 and Category 3 open fires remains in place.
The campfire ban applies to areas outside of municipal boundaries, but towns and cities usually follow the lead of the lead of the BC Wildfire Service and impose their own.
It’s recommended that people check with with their local municipality before lighting a fire.
The BC Wildfire Service says its prohibition does apply to the following types of land within municipal boundaries:
– Parks, conservancies and recreation areas (Park Act)
– Recreation sites, recreation trails, interpretive forest sites and trail-based recreation areas (Forest and Range Practices Act)
– Ecological reserves (Ecological Reserve Act)
– Wildlife management areas (Wildlife Act) and
– Private managed forest land (Private Managed Forest Land Act)
The BC Wildfire Service says violators can be issued a ticket for a fine of $1,150, and required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000.
If convicted in court, they face a fine of up to $100,000 or a one year sentence in jail – or both.
If a campfire causes a wildfire, they may be ordered to pay the firefighting costs.
Open fires are the largest cause of human-caused fires in the province, which divert resources from naturally occurring wildfires.
