Summer campfires should come to a halt on Thursday in much of B.C.'s central Interior.
A Category 1 campfire ban goes into effect in each of the Kamloops Fire Centre, the Cariboo Fire Centre and the Tsihqot'in (Xeni Gwet'in) Declared Title Area at noon on Aug. 28. This includes fires used for recreational and ceremonial purposes.
The City of Salmon Arm Fire Department said it will follow suit, meaning city campfire permits will not be applicable for the duration of the ban. The ban will also be in effect for Columbia Shuswap Regional District electoral areas.
Category 2 and 3 open fire bans are already in effect.
The Kamloops Fire Centre spans between Blue River in the north to the U.S. border, and from Bridge River in the west to Monashee Mountains in the east, including the Southern Okanagan, Lytton and Lillooet areas.
The Cariboo Fire Centre comprises of approximately 8.2 million hectares, stretching from Clinton, north to the Cottonwood River, east to Wells Gray Provincial Park, and west to Tweedsmuir Provincial Park
Anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of $10,000, or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced for up to one year in jail.
If your fire causes or contributes to a wildfire, you may be fined up to $1 million and/or sentenced to up to three years in jail, as well as be responsible for all firefighting and associated costs.
For information on open fire prohibition offences and fines, visit B.C. government's page, and/or read the .
