
Fire prohibitions are set to expand in the Kamloops Fire Centre just ahead of the upcoming May long weekend.
Effective at noon on Friday, May 17, Category 2 open fires as well as other equipment and activities will be prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre. This adds to a ban on Category 3 open fires that is already in place for the region.
The Category 2 fire ban relates to open fire that burn:
- Material in one pile not exceeding two metres in height and three metres in width
- Material concurrently in two piles each not exceeding two metres in height and three metres in width
- Stubble or grass over an area that does not exceed 0.2 hectares
In addition to these activities, fireworks, sky lanterns, binary exploding targets, air curtain burners and burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description are also prohibited.
The prohibition will remain in effect until noon on Oct. 11 or until the fire centre decides to end it.
Those found violating the ban could be issued a ticket for $1,150, an administrative penalty of up to $10,000, or if convicted in court be fined up to $100,000 or spend one year in jail. If an illegal burn causes or contributes to a wildfire, the individual who started it may be ordered to pay for all firefighting and associated costs.
For more information on the types of open burning can be found at the British Columbia's government website.
