Campfires banned in Kamloops, Okanagan as of Friday
Given the intense heat and the accompanying wildfire risk, the BC Wildfire Service is banning campfires throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre later this week. As of noon, Friday, July 12, campfires will be prohibited on all public and private lands in the jurisdiction, according to...
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Given the intense heat and the accompanying wildfire risk, the BC Wildfire Service is banning campfires throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre later this week.
As of noon, Friday, July 12, campfires will be prohibited on all public and private lands in the jurisdiction, according to a BC Wildfire media release.
The Kamloops Fire Centre covers an area from Blue River in the north to the U.S. boarder in the south, and from Bridge River in the west to the Monashee Mountains in the east. It includes the communities of Kamloops, Merritt, Salmon Arm, Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton.
All open fires are included in the ban along with fireworks, sky lanterns, binary exploding targets, air curtain burners, burn barrels or burn cages, chimineas and Tiki style torches.
The wildfire service recommends the public check with local governments to see what other burning restrictions might be in effect.
The ban doesn’t cover CSA-rates or ULC-rated outdoor stoves for cooking, heat or ambiance that burn charcoal briquettes, liquid fuel or gaseous fuel, as long as the flame height that is less than 15 centimetres tall.
If you’re caught with a campfire, a ticket is $1,150 and you may face an administrative penalty of up to $10,000.
If convicted in court, the fine is up to $100,000 and a possible sentence of up to a 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,” the wildfire service said in the release.
To report a wildfire, or unattended campfire or open burning violation call 1-800 663-5555 or *5555 from a cell phone.
For more information about the campfire ban, current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories go here
http://www.bcwildfire.ca
.
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