Effective at noon on October 28, open burning activities will once again be permitted throughout Coastal Fire Centre’s jurisdiction.
According to a media release, category two and category three open fires have been prohibited throughout the jurisdiction since July 15, with a set end-date of October 28. This prohibition is being allowed to lapse due to current and expected rainfall, along with a return to seasonal temperatures.
The release stated that ending the prohibition applies to all public and private land, unless specified otherwise, for example, in a local government bylaw. People are asked to check with local government authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire. City of Powell River’s burning bylaw allows for burning with a $25 permit in April and November.
This change will allow for category two open fires, which means an open fire, other than a campfire, that: burns material in one pile not exceeding two metres in height and three metres in width; burns material concurrently in two piles each not exceeding two metres in height and three metres in width; burns stubble or grass over an area that does not exceed 0.2 hectare.
The change will also allow for category three open fires, which means an open fire that: burns material concurrently in three or more piles each not exceeding two metres in height and three metres in width; material in one or more piles each exceeding two metres in height or three metres in width; one or more windrows; stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 hectare.
The release stated that also allowed will be the previously prohibited activities including: fireworks; sky lanterns; binary exploding targets; burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description; air curtain burners.
The release stated that the campfire prohibition within the Coastal Fire Centre was lifted on September 20. This applies to campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller, or to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes. Anyone lighting a campfire must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable debris from around the campfire area and have a hand tool or at least eight litres of water available nearby to properly extinguish the fire.
A poster explaining the different categories of open burning is available online at openburningregs_2022update.pdf.
The Coastal Fire Centre covers all the area west of the height of land on the Coast Mountain Range from the US/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, call 1.800.663.5555 toll-free, or *5555 on a cell phone. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to bcwildfire.ca.
