Category 2 And 3 Burning Ban In Effect Friday

Area fire departments are following the lead of BC Wildfire Service as it will issue a category 2 and 3 burning ban for the Coastal Fire Centre, effective Friday at noon.

The ban is specific to open fires of a certain height, width and area.

In a release, the Comox Valley Regional District says it will follow the lead of BC Wildfire.

The ban applies to all properties within the CVRD’s Fire Protection Areas including Hornby and Denman Islands, as well as properties within the City of Courtenay, Town of Comox, Village of Cumberland, and Ships Point Fire Protection Area.

The Comox Valley RD notes that as a standard practice, it’s best to check in with your local area fire department to confirm what regulations apply to you.

It should be noted that the ban also applies to fireworks.

The ban does not apply to Category 1 (Campfires) that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller, or to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.

However, anyone lighting a campfire must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable debris from around the campfire area and have a hand tool or at least 8 litres of water available nearby to properly extinguish the fire.

Fines are steep for anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition.

They could be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, 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.

The Coastal Fire Centre covers all the area west of the height of land on the Coast Mountain Range from the U.S.-Canada border at Manning Park, including Vancouver Island, Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park in the north, the Sunshine Coast, the Lower Mainland, the Gulf Islands and Haida Gwaii.

For details, visit BC Wildfire Service.