As of today, all open fires are once again allowed in British Columbia’s Coastal Fire Centre jurisdiction.
According to a statement from the BC Wildfire Service, the recent bout of rainfall has decreased the risk of wildfires in the region that encompasses Vancouver Island and parts of the lower mainland.
This means that campfires, Category 2 and 3 open fires and Resource Management Burning are now allowed everywhere in the jurisdiction as of 12 p.m. June 19.
“The public is asked to undertake open burning responsibly, and to follow guidance to ensure their burning is conducted in a safe manner,” reads the statement.
“While the BC Wildfire Service has developed protocols for staff to safely respond to wildfires and reduce the risk from COVID-19, we ask for the public’s assistance to reduce the likelihood of a forest fire.”
However residents are advised to still check with their municipalities as local governments may still have their own open burning restrictions in place.
Anyone lighting a Category 3 open fire—a fire that burns material more than two metres high or three metres wide, stubble or grass of more than 2,000 square metres, or more than two piles of any size—must acquire a burn registration number by calling 1-888-797-1717.
More information on the different types and categories of fires are available at this website.
