| As of this Friday, July 12, at noon, no open fires, including campfires, will be allowed in the Province, except for the Queen Charlottes. The prohibition will remain in effect until 12:00 (noon) on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, or until it is rescinded. Prohibitions apply to all public and private lands unless otherwise specified (e.g. in an enactment or local government bylaw). Only Haida Gwaii will be exempt from the ban. The news comes hot on the heels of Tumbler Ridge’s first fire of the year, a small fire (0.5 ha) that appears to have started up in an area on the edge of the West Kiskatinaw burn area where they are currently logging. Currently, they think the fire was caused by human activities. The fire is being held by a small initial attack crew. Across the province, there has been hot weather and little to no percipitation. Over the next few days, winds and storms are expected, meaning new wildfire starts are more likely. In addition to prohibiting the use of open fire of any size, the following activities are prohibited: Fireworks Sky lanterns Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description Binary exploding targets Air curtain burners Chimineas Tiki and similar kinds of torches Outdoor stoves or other portable campfire apparatus without a CSA or ULC rating If you want to cook over an open flame, outdoor stoves that are CSA or ULC rated are allowed. This includes propane fire pits. Anyone found in contravention of an open-burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, may be required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, may be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs. |
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
