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Fireworks and fires over a half-metre banned Friday in Kamloops centre

B.C. Wildfire Service banning to category 2 and 3 fires in Kamloops Fire Centre at noon Friday
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A category 2 and 3 fire ban is in effect for the Kamloops Fire Centre region. Campfires and logging activity are not included in this ban. Check local restrictions before lighting an outdoor fire. Photo: Encyclopedia Britannica

Campfires will still be allowed, but fireworks and burns larger than a campfire will not be permitted starting noon on Friday.

The B.C. government is expanding the burn ban in the Kamloops Fire Centre’s jurisdiction to try to prevent human-caused wildfires in the area.

Those conducting category 2 and 3 open burns at elevations above 1,200 metres must extinguish the fires by noon Friday to be in line with the upcoming restrictions. Those burns area already prohibited at elevations below 1,200 metres.

Campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide are not included in the ban, nor are cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.

Click for more details of the area affected by the expanded fire ban in the Kamloops Fire Centre region.

Image: B.C. Wildfire Service

Included in the ban, however, are the following:

  • fireworks (including firecrackers)
  • sky lanterns
  • burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
  • binary exploding targets (pre-packaged or homemade explosives, such as Tannerite, Thundershot, Gryphon, Firebird SS65, Sure Shot or similar products)
  • tiki torches and similar kinds of torches

A poster with the different categories of open burning can be found on the B.C. Wildfire Service website.

The prohibition applies to all public and private land, unless otherwise specified, such as in a local government bylaw. Residents are asked to check with local government authorities for further restrictions local to the area before lighting any fire.

Violating fire prohibitions can incur fines of $1,150 up to $10,000, or if convicted in court, $100,000 and up to a year in jail.

If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the violator may be responsible for paying for all firefighting and associated costs.

The prohibition will remain in effect until Oct. 15, 2018, or until the public is otherwise notified. A map of the affected areas is available online at the B.C. Wildfire Service website.

To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone.

For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, go to the B.C. Wildfire Service website.