With the September long weekend about to arrive, outdoor enthusiasts got a jolt of good news on Wednesday afternoon.
The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) issued a press release saying the current campfire ban in the Kamloops Fire Centre will be lifted on Friday, Sept. 2, at noon.
Campfire bans are a regular occurrence every summer in B.C., though times and lengths vary per fire season. This year, the region’s fire ban began on Aug. 4, while the 2021 ban began on June 30.
While campfires will be allowed once again, Category 2 and 3 open fires are still prohibited, as are fireworks, sky lanterns and binary exploding targets.
The BCWS says burning barrels or cages are also prohibited, except when used for a campfire as defined by the Wildfire Regulation.
To learn more about the different categories of open burning, visit the province’s webpage on Open Burning.
The news also comes with most of the Kamloops Fire Centre having a fire danger rating of four (high). The highest level is five (extreme).
“While the Kamloops Fire Centre is seeing shorter days, increased overnight recoveries and relative humidities, the public is encouraged to exercise caution with any campfire use,” said BCWS.
“It is the individual’s responsibility to ensure that burning is done in a safe and responsible manner.”
The Wildfire Service says before you start a campfire, it’s a good idea to check with local government authorities to ensure there are no burning restrictions in place.
“Wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility,” said BCWS. “Human-caused wildfires are completely preventable and divert critical resources away from lightning-caused wildfires.”