Fire Safety,- Campfire Ban - Aug. 17, 2016

For Immediate Release August 16, 2016 Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations BC Wildfire Service Campfires prohibited in the Coastal Fire Centre PARKSVILLE – Effective at 12 noon on August 17, 2016, campfires will be prohibited in all areas of the Coastal Fire Centre with the exception of Haida Gwaii and the area known as the ‘Fog Zone’. The Coastal Fire Centre is implementing this prohibition due to increased daily temperatures with no precipitation in the immediate forecast. This prohibition will remain in effect until October 21, 2016, or the public is otherwise notified. The Category 2 prohibition will remain in place and anyone conducting Category 3 fires anywhere in the Coastal Fire Centre, with the exception of Haida Gwaii and the “Fog Zone”, must extinguish any such fires by noon on August 17, 2016. This prohibition covers all BC Parks, Crown lands and private lands within the Coastal Fire Centre, with the exception of Haida Gwaii and the area known as the “Fog Zone”. It does not apply within the boundaries of a local government that has wildfire prevention bylaws in place and is serviced by a fire department. The following uses will not be allowed:  campfires, as defined by the wildfire regulation (burning of woody debris)  open fires, of woody debris, in an outdoor stove  tiki torches  the use of fireworks, firecrackers, sky lanterns, burning barrels or burning cages of any size or description;  the use of binary exploding targets (e.g. for rifle target practice). The prohibition does not apply to CSA-rated or ULC-rated cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to a portable campfire apparatus that uses briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, as long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.