Image courtesy of JelleS | Flickr.com
It was announced at noon this afternoon that the campfire ban that has been in place for the South Coast of BC since June 27th has officially been lifted by the provincial government.
Just in time for Labour Day long weekend camping plans, campfires are once again permitted throughout the Coastal Fire Centre’s jurisdiction (more information about where that is below). The Coastal Fire Centre is rescinding its campfire prohibition due to forecasted cooler and wetter conditions, resulting in a decrease in wildfire risk in the region.
Starting on August 28th, the following activities will be allowed:
- Campfires, no larger than half a metre high
- Open fires in outdoor stoves
If you are planning on having a campfire, you must make sure that you have a hand tool (such as a shovel) or at least eight litres of water available to fully extinguish the fire. Never leave a campfire unattended and make sure that the ashes are completely cool before leaving the area.
Despite the lift of the ban, you are still not able to:
- Burn stubble or grass up to 0.2 hectares
- Light fireworks, sky lanterns, or burning barrels
The fire ban has been lifted in most areas of Coastal BC, including Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island, Whistler, Pemberton and more. A map of the area where the restriction has been lifted is available on the BC Parks website .
This is great news for those of us who have gone camping and end up falling asleep at 9pm because there’s no fire to stare at!
Full details about the Campfire ban lift are available on the BC Wildfire Service website .
