Fire restrictions in place

Photo: Contributed

The timing may seem a little odd, but the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource has issued fire restrictions for the Kamloops Fire Centre, including Vernon and the North Okanagan.

With all the recent rains, most people are not too concerned about forest fires, but the rain will stop eventually and the hills will dry out as the sun returns to the Valley.

Effective at noon on May 19, the size of open fires will be restricted to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect the public.

Anyone conducting Category 2 or Category 3 open burns in these areas must extinguish those fires by noon on May 19. This prohibition will remain in effect until Oct. 15, or until further notice.

Specifically, prohibited Category 2 and category 3 burning activities will include:

• the burning of more than two open fires of any size at the same time
• stubble or grass fires of any size over any area
• the use of fireworks or burning barrels of any size or description
• the use of binary exploding targets

The prohibition does not ban campfires that are smaller than a half-metre high by a half-metre wide and does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.

The prohibition covers all B.C. parks, Crown lands and private lands in these areas, but it does not apply within the boundaries of a local government that has forest fire protection bylaws in place and is serviced by a fire department.

The fires will be prohibited in the following areas:

* Kamloops Fire Zone, North Prohibition Area (below 1,200 metres)

* Kamloops Fire Zone, South Prohibition Area (all elevations)

* Vernon Fire Zone (below 1,200 metres)

* Merritt Fire Zone (all elevations)

* Lillooet Fire Zone (all elevations)

A map of the affected areas can be found here. 

Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150 or, if convicted in court, may be fined up to $100,000 and sentenced to one year in jail.

If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person may be subject to a penalty of up to $10,000 and be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

Anyone who sees flames or smoke should call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free or dial *5555 on a cellphone.