Ban on open burning in Southern Interior to start this week
Global News
‘This prohibition is being enacted to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety,’ said the Ministry of Public Safety about an open-fire ban for Kamloops.
Open burning bans in the Kamloops Fire Centre will start later this week.
At noon on Thursday, Category 2 and 3 open fires will be prohibited throughout B.C.’s Southern Interior.
Those two fires are much larger than campfires, which are still currently allowed in the region. Campfires can be no larger than half a metre in height and half a metre in width.
“This prohibition is being enacted to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety,” said the Ministry of Public Safety.
A Category 2 open fire can be one or two piles that measure up to two metres in height and three metres in width, or stubble or grass being burned that doesn’t exceed 0.2 of a hectare.
A Category 3 open fire, in three or more piles, exceeds two metres in height and three meters in width; has one or more windrows exceeding 200 metres in length or 15 metres in width; or is grass or stubble exceeding 0.2 of a hectare.
The open-burning prohibition will remain in effect until noon on Oct. 13, 2023, or until the order is rescinded.
Anyone conducting Category 2 or Category 3 open fires within the region must extinguish those fires by noon on Thursday.