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Campfire ban coming to Kamloops Fire Centre

The prohibition, effective Aug. 4, comes amid hot and dry conditions across the region

Campfires will be prohibited in the Kamloops Fire Centre, effective at 12 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4, to help prevent human-caused wildfires.

The move comes as the Kamloops Fire Centre is currently experiencing hot and dry conditions and fire danger ratings are generally “high” or “extreme” throughout the fire centre.

Two wildfires of note, the Keremeos Creek Fire and Nohomin Creek wildfire, are burning in the region, while several others are being actioned, including a 45-hectare Maria Creek fire.

“Wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility,” BC Wildfire said in a news release. “Human-caused wildfires are completely preventable and divert critical resources away from lightning-caused wildfires.”

As of noon on Thursday, these will also be prohibited: fireworks, sky lanterns, burn barrels, binary exploding targets. Tiki and similar kind of torches, and Chimineas, outdoor stoves and other portable campfire apparatuses that are not CSA or ULC approved.Category 2 and Category 3 open fires and Section 12 Equipment and Activities are already prohibited.

Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, 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 ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

The campfire ban will remain in effect until Oct. 15 or until the order is rescinded.



kelly.sinoski@100milefreepress.net

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