As a result of dry conditions throughout the coastal region, there will be a prohibition on category two open burns.
According to Coastal Fire Centre fire information officer Marg Drysdale, this will be to reduce wildfire risks throughout the region and to protect public safety.
Drysdale said campfires, however, are still allowable at this point.
The prohibition will come into effect at noon on Thursday, May 30. This prohibition will remain in effect until the public is otherwise notified. Specifically, this prohibition applies to: the burning of any material (piled or unpiled) smaller than two metres high and three metres wide; the burning of stubble or grass over an area less than 2,000 square metres; the use of fireworks, firecrackers, sky lanterns, burning barrels or burning cages of any size or description; and the use of binary exploding targets (e.g., for rifle target practice).
The prohibition applies to all public and private land unless specified otherwise, for example, in a local government bylaw.
Within City of Powell River, outdoor burning is prohibited within city limits year-round. Backyard burning for the purpose of removal of yard waste is allowed during the months of April and November and those who are burning must have a permit.
The prohibition does not apply to larger category three fires or 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. A poster explaining the different categories of open burning is available at gov.bc.ca/openfireregs.
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.
Coastal Fire Centre covers all of the area west of the height of land on the Coast Mountain Range from the United States-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.
Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a violation 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.
To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1.800.663.5555 toll-free or *5555 on a mobile phone. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to bcwildfire.ca.
Follow the latest wildfire news at twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo or facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo.
