Eager to light a campfire over the Father’s Day weekend?
Not so fast, says the Regional District of the Central Okanagan. While fire bans are being lifted in some areas, they remain in effect in others.
The provincial Ministry of Forests and the BC Wildfire Service announced Thursday they were rescinding a campfire ban that had been issued one week prior, saying cooler weather has reduced the risks of wildfires, starting Friday at noon.
But the Regional District of the Central Okanagan (RDCO) is overriding part of that decision.
Shortly after the province announced it was lifting the campfire ban, the RDCO issued a statement saying its campfire ban was still in place.
“Campfires remain prohibited throughout all Central Okanagan municipalities and electoral area Fire Service Areas until further notice,” the regional district said.
“While the Kamloops Fire Centre lifted restrictions (for Friday afternoon), the Central Okanagan continues to experience high temperatures, dry conditions and high to extreme fire danger ratings.”
The RDCO said its campfire ban affects all local government fire jurisdictions in the Regional District of Central Okanagan, including:
- West Kelowna
- District of Lake Country
- District of Peachland
- Westbank First Nation
- Ellison
- Joe Rich
- North Westside
- Wilson’s Landing
Notably, campfires are not permitted at any time within Kelowna city limits.
The City of Salmon Arm is also keeping its campfire ban in place.
However, the cities of Penticton, Vernon, Armstrong and Enderby plus the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen are following the province’s lead in allowing campfires to return for now.
“While campfires will be allowed, open burning remains prohibited, including the use of fireworks, sky lanterns and burn barrels,” the City of Armstrong said in a release.
“Please exercise caution while enjoying your campfire in a safe and responsible manner.”
“Favorable weather over the last week and cooler temperatures in the forecast have reduced the wildfire risk within the city. As of today, the fire danger rating for Vernon is listed as moderate to low,” the city said in a release issued on Friday.
“Please continue to use care and caution if enjoying a campfire. It’s a requirement that fires not be left unattended and that they are fully extinguished before leaving the site,” Vernon Fire Chief David Lind said.
“We appreciate everyone’s help in keeping our community safe and for practicing fire-safe behaviours.”
The bottom line: If in doubt, check with your local government before lighting a campfire to see if they’re allowed.
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