Campfire ban coming to B.C.'s South Coast and Vancouver Island
With a period of dry, hot weather coming up, the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) has brought back a ban on campfires for most of the Coastal Fire Centre region.
Effective at 12 p.m. PT Thursday, July 16, all Category 1 fires will be prohibited across the region, with the exception of parts of the North Island and Sunshine Coast fire zones.
The restrictions apply to all areas outside municipal boundaries, including most provincial parks and campgrounds, rec sites, and Crown land.
Originally, campfires and other Category 1 fires were banned at the beginning of May — the earliest such prohibition since records began being tracked in 2003 — before it was rescinded just before the May long weekend.
“These decisions are not definitely not taken lightly, they take a lot of time, there's a lot of factors,” said Emily Fardad, a fire information officer with the BCWS, based out of Parksville.
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(Image credit: CBC)
“Weather is so dynamic, and just as we're seeing now with the changes in prohibitions, we are reevaluating every day.”
Fardad says a wet June in the North Island Mid Coast Fire Zone means that area remains in the clear for now, with campfires still allowed. Campers in the Sunshine Coast fire zone will also be able to have campfires.
The Coastal Fire Centre now joins the Kamloops Fire Centre as the two areas in the province with campfire restrictions.
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In the mid-Island area, the memories of last year's wildfires have many on edge.
Steve Ternes, fire chief with the Errington Fire Department, says he’s never seen buy-in on a fire ban quite like he has this year.
“People listen now. It never used to be that way. You always had a lot of pushback,” said Ternes.
“We always, always have the bigger fires on the mainland, and last year, finally you had smoke in the air. People were worried, and I think it just makes people more aware of what's going on now.”
Fardad says if you are in an area that allows fires — do so safely. Always have eight litres of water on hand, don’t leave a fire unattended, and when you put out a fire, make sure it’s completely cool to the touch before you walk away.
The prohibition is expected to remain in place until Oct. 31, or until it is rescinded.