Skip to content

Burning ban ignited

The size of open fires will be restricted in the Vernon Fire Zone, below 1,200 metres,
web1_wildfire
Rules about burning will help reduce the risk of wildfires in the North Okanagan. (photo submitted)

Measures are being taken to prevent potential wildfires.

The size of open fires will be restricted in the Vernon Fire Zone, below 1,200 metres, to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect the public.

“Anyone conducting category two or three open burns in these areas must extinguish those fires by noon Friday,” said Max Birkner, a fire information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service.

Prohibited category two and three burning activities will include:

* the burning of more than two open fires of any size at the same time

* stubble or grass fires of any size over any area

* the use of fireworks or burning barrels of any size or description

* the use of binary exploding targets

“This prohibition does not ban campfires that are smaller than a half-metre high by a half-metre wide and does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes,” said Birkner.

“This prohibition covers all B.C. parks, Crown lands and private lands in these areas, but it does not apply within the boundaries of a local government that has forest fire protection bylaws in place and is serviced by a fire department.”

For the latest information on wildfire activity, conditions and prohibitions, go to www.bcwildfire.ca