Campfire ban to be reinstated across Kamloops Fire Centre

The second campfire ban since June will begin Friday, July 7 at noon in the Kamloops Fire Centre.

All open campfires, fireworks, and other flammable activities within the Kamloops, Vernon, Penticton, Merrit, and Lilloett fire zones will be prohibited until Oct 13, 2023, until further notice.

The ban comes after a month of seasonably hot and humid weather that has led to the fire ban being reinstated. The hot and humid conditions are expected to increase throughout the week. The Kamloops Fire Centre says this has increased the risk of human-caused fires, and according to Wildfire B.C., human-caused fires account for 40 per cent of wildfires per year.

The region has also been sitting amidst a layer of wildfire smoke that has lingered throughout the region from neighboring fires. Smoke from wildfires can be a significant source of air pollution for people, and when mixed with extreme heat, more intense and harder-to-control fires are more likely to occur.

The ban does not include the use of outdoor stoves, however. According to the Kamloops Fire Centre regulations, outdoor stoves that are CSA or ULC rated are okay to use as long as the flames do not exceed 15cm. As per the Wildfire Regulation, an outdoor stove is a CSA-rated or ULC-rated device used outdoors for cooking, heat, or ambiance that burns charcoal briquettes, liquid fuel, or gaseous fuel. The CSA or ULC mark on your product means it has been tested against applicable North American standards and requirements.

Anyone found to be going against the open burning prohibition could be subjected to a $1,150 ticket and required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000. If the fine goes further and leads to a conviction, you could be fined up to $ 100,000 and sentenced to a year in jail. When a wildfire is found to be human-caused or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

This summer season has been progressing to be one of B.C.’s dryest seasons to date, so to mitigate the risk of starting a wildfire, it is essential to keep updated on which activities have been banned. Here is a list of other activities prohibited under the reinstated fire ban. You can see what areas the ban covers by clicking here.

Other prohibited activities include:

Fireworks;

Sky Lanterns;

Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description;

Binary Exploding Targets;

Air curtain burners;

Tiki and similar kinds of torches; and,

Chimineas.

READ MORE: Officials warn of ‘very challenging’ fire season ahead in B.C.

READ MORE: Campfire ban partially lifted for Coastal region