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Fire chiefs in the South Okanagan will now have the power to impose temporary small burn and campfire bans in their specific jurisdiction individually, instead of waiting for the provincial government to step in with a regional ban. 

The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen discussed adopting the new bylaw at Thursday's meeting. In July, board members from districts which have fire departments and their corresponding fire chiefs met to discuss streamlining the bylaw, allowing chiefs to make calls regarding burn allowance and refusal. 

All but Tulameen and Keremeos decided to endorse the bylaw change and as a result, they're not included in the new rules, but can enter the service at a later date. 

On Thursday, some regional directors expressed concern that different rules in different areas with mostly invisible borders, especially to tourists, could be confusing. 

"How will area-specific bans be communicated to the individuals in those areas to avoid confusion?" asked Oliver councillor Petra Veintimilla. 

Christy Malden, manager of legislative services, said the rules would be communicated much like any other update from the RDOS, through social media and other online bulletins. 

Katie Robinson, Penticton councillor, had some more general concerns about campfires and small burns, although she eventually deferred to the recommendation of the fire chiefs. 

"All we have to do is look south of the border,” Robinson said, referencing raging fires in Washington, Oregon and California. “With all the climate change that’s coming, it could be quite naive of us that for entertainment having open fires wherever you feel like it, I think those days may be coming to an end.”

Most directors felt leaving regional temporary bans in the hands of local fire experts made good sense. Overarching provincial authorities are still in place.

"Campfires will be banned by the province if there's a need, if the conditions are dry enough," said rural Osoyoos director Mark Pendergraft. "[This bylaw] is the same as it is today except for the fire chief having the ability to ban the fire in his area."

Chair Karla Kozakevich and Okanagan Falls director Ron Obirek agreed, with Kozakevich sharing that many of her constituents had been asking why fires were still allowed this summer given fire activity and already dismal air quality.

The board also heard that there was no campfire ban in place throughout the worst of the Christie Mountain wildfire, despite a call to the province to do so. 

In the end, most of the board, save rural Princeton director Bob Coyne Sr., voted in favour of the new bylaw, and it was adopted.