Fire prohibitions take effect Friday

B.C. Wildfire Service is bringing in more fire restrictions are coming to the Kamloops Fire Centre, which includes Vernon, the North Okanagan and the Shuswap area.

Effective noon Friday, July 15, Category 2 open fires as well as other equipment and activities will be prohibited throughout the region.

B.C. Wildfire Service states Category 2 open fires are classified as “one to two concurrently burning piles no larger that two metres high by three metres wide or burning stubble or grass over an area less than 0.2 hectares.”

Additionally, the use of burning barrels or cages, fireworks, firecrackers and sky lanterns is not permitted under the restrictions.

Anyone conducting Category 2 open fires within the region must extinguish the fires before the July 15 deadline.

Campfires will remain permitted under the restrictions.

The new prohibitions come on the heels of Category 3 open fires being restricted on June 30.

The B.C. Wildfire Service’s prohibitions apply to all public and private land within the Kamloops Fire Centre jurisdiction unless specified otherwise in an enactment, such as a local government bylaw. People are advised to contact their local government authorities prior to lighting a fire to see if burning restrictions are in effect.

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, be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If an open fire causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

The open burning prohibitions will remain in effect until noon on October 15, unless the orders are rescinded prior to that date.

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