Coastal Fire Centre enacts Category 1 Campfire Prohibition

Due to the extreme fire danger rating, the Provincial government has issued an outdoor burning ban. Effective noon, June 8, 2023 campfires are prohibited throughout the Coastal Fire Centre (including North Saanich), except the Haida Gwaii Forest District. This prohibition is being enacted to help reduce wildfire risk and protect public safety and will be in place until October 31, 2023, or until the order is rescinded.

The campfire prohibition does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or portable campfire devices that use briquettes, liquid, or gaseous fuel, provided they are CSA or ULC approved, and the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.

Anyone who lights, fuels or uses an open fire when a fire prohibition is in place or fails to comply with an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150 or, if convicted in court, 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 subject to a penalty of up to $100,000 and ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs. Visit our outdoor burning page for further information and a complete list of restricted fires, equipment, and activities.

To report a wildfire, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cell phone. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories go to: www.bcwildfire.ca