After a relatively mild and wet start to summer, a hot streak has led to a campfire ban on B.C.’s South Coast.
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Open fires will be prohibited throughout most of the Coastal Fire Centre starting at noon Wednesday, the B.C. Wildfire Service said Tuesday.
“Then 10-year average for the Cranbrook Fire Zone for this time of year is 33 fires, so we are just slightly below the average”, she said.
Despite the increased wildfire-related fines, Drysdale says human-caused fires are still a concern. “Thursday may be one of the driest days of the year”.
The five-year average for this time of year is 202 fires and 1,326 hectares, putting the current fire season well below the five-year average. The 10-year average for this time of year is 93,664 hectares.
However, the smoke that’s now visible in many areas of the Southeast Fire Centre is originating from several wildfires burning across the border in Idaho and Washington State. During the long weekend, many Category 1 fires were left unattended throughout the province. In July 2015, the Dog Mountain fire caused evacuation orders and burned over 400 hectares of forest on the Sproat Lake peninsula.
The Coastal Fire Centre said it has recorded 140 wildfires to date this year in the region.
The use of air curtain burners. Additionally, the ban also prohibits Tiki torches, fireworks and sky lanterns.
The ban applies to all B.C. parks, Crown lands and private lands within the region with the exception of Vancouver Island’s “Fog Zone” and Haida Gwaii.
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If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
