Coastal Fire Centre is urging the public to be extremely cautious with the use of campfires over the May long weekend.
According to a media release from the fire centre, May has seen unseasonably dry conditions thus far, and this has resulted in 26 fires, with a total of 83 hectares burned within the Coastal Fire Centre region. All are suspected to be human-caused, according to the release.
Current fire prohibitions in the region do not ban campfires or cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes. Coastal Fire Centre made recommendations for those who plan on lighting campfires.
Campfires can be no larger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide. There must be a fire guard around the campfire. Those attending to campfires must have ready access to eight litres of water or a shovel for the entire time the campfire is lit.
People are cautioned to never leave the campfire unattended. Campfires must be completely extinguished and ashes cool to the touch before leaving the area.
Coastal Fire Centre stated a reminder that currently, there is a category two and category three fire prohibition in place throughout the Coastal Fire Centre region, with the exception of Haida Gwaii. In addition, the following activities and use of the following equipment, materials and substances are currently prohibited: fireworks; sky lanterns; burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description; binary exploding targets; air curtain burners.
Coastal Fire Centre covers all 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, may be required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, may be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail, the release stated. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
Human-caused wildfires are completely preventable and divert critical resources away from naturally caused fires, according to the release. Always practice safe, responsible open fire use, the release stated.
To report a wildfire, unattended campfire, or open burning violation, call 1.800.663.5555 toll-free, or *5555 on a cell phone.
