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August 01, 2022 - 9:55 AM
A campfire ban in the Kamloops Fire Centre is being implemented this week.
The ban will come into effect at noon, Aug. 4, in the centre in order to prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service. So far this year, 47% of the wildfires started within the province have been human caused.
The prohibition will remain in effect until Oct. 15 or if orders are rescinded, according to an information bulletin from the B.C. Wildfire Service.
The Kamloops Fire Centre spans between Blue River in the north to the U.S. border in the south and from Bridge River in the west to Monashee Mountains in the east, including the Southern Okanagan and the Lytton and Lillooet area.
The region is experiencing hot and dry conditions and other larger open fires are already prohibited.
The ban includes: campfires, Category 2 and 3 open fires, fireworks, sky lanterns, burn barrels or cages, binary exploding targets, tiki and similar kind of torches and Chimineas, outdoor stoves and other portable campfire apparatuses.
It applies to all public and private land within the Kamloops Fire Centre jurisdiction, unless specified otherwise in an enactment such as a local government bylaw.
Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a 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, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service.
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