Category 1 campfires will be prohibited throughout the Southeast Fire Centre beginning at noon Thursday.
The BC Wildfire Service said the prohibition applies across the Rocky Mountain and Selkirk natural resource districts. It is being enacted to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.
Anyone with a Category 1 campfire must fully extinguish it before the ban takes effect at noon PT on July 23.
The prohibition will remain in effect until Oct. 31 unless it is rescinded earlier.
A Category 1 campfire is a recreational or ceremonial fire no larger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide.
The prohibition also applies to air curtain burners, carbonizers, burn barrels and burn cages, controlled air incinerators, fireworks, binary exploding targets, sky lanterns and wood-fired hot tubs, pizza ovens and similar devices unless they are vented through a building with a flue.
The wildfire service said the prohibition does not apply to outdoor stoves.
Under the Wildfire Regulation, CSA- or ULC-certified outdoor stoves fuelled by charcoal, propane or liquid fuel are still permitted provided the flame height does not exceed 15 centimetres.
Category 2 open fires have been prohibited in the Southeast Fire Centre since July 10, while Category 3 open fires have been prohibited since May 21.
The campfire prohibition applies to Crown land outside municipal boundaries, as well as provincial parks, recreation sites, ecological reserves, wildlife management areas and private managed forest land. It also applies within the villages of Slocan and Silverton.
Municipalities may impose their own fire restrictions, which can differ from BC Wildfire Service prohibitions.
Anyone who violates the prohibition could face a $1,150 violation ticket, a $10,000 administrative penalty or, upon conviction, a fine of up to $100,000, up to one year in jail or both.
Anyone whose fire causes a wildfire could face penalties of up to $1 million, up to three years in jail and be held responsible for firefighting costs.
Wildfires, unattended campfires and open burning violations can be reported by calling *5555 on a cellphone, 1-800-663-5555 or through the BC Wildfire app.
More information on the different types of open burning is available online here.
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