Kelowna’s fire department is reminding people that campfires and outdoor wood-burning appliances, including wood-fuelled fire pits, are not permitted within city limits.
The ban includes private property.
Campfires and briquette barbecues are also not allowed in city or Regional District of Central Okanagan parks.
Barbecues are allowed on beaches within Kelowna.
Smoking is banned from all city and regional parks and beaches.
“Warm and dry conditions have created a vulnerable natural environment,” Rick Euper, Kelowna Fire Department’s fire and life safety educator, said in a news release. “A spark from a campfire can easily jump and ignite surrounding kindling. It wouldn’t take much in these conditions for a fire to spread in either rural or urban areas, and the impact could be disastrous.”
Euper instead recommends a propane fire pit for the backyard.
Anyone found violating the city bylaw could face a $345 fine.
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Crews are already battling wildfires in the Kamloops fire zone, and officials are hoping to prevent human-caused wildfires.
Within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, open burning has not been allowed since the end of April. It’s expected to resume on Oct. 1, but a valid permit from the fire department is required.
Anyone who sees smoke or fire in any park should immediately call *5555, the B.C. Wildfire Management Branch or 911.
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