File photo (Image credit: CFJC Today)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

MAY LONG WEEKEND PRECAUTIONS

Category 2 open fires banned in Kamloops Fire Centre as of Friday

May 14, 2024 | 4:19 PM

KAMLOOPS — Ahead of the Victoria Day long weekend, Category 2 open fires will be banned in the Kamloops Fire Centre area.

As of this Friday (May 17) at noon, the BC Wildfire Service says Category 2 open fires will be prohibited to help prevent human-caused wildfires.

This adds to the pre-existing ban on Category 3 open fires. Category 2 is classified as an open fire that burns material in one pile, not exceeding two metres in height and three metres in width.

This current ban does not include Category 1 campfires that are a half-metre high by a high-metre wide or smaller and it also does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.

Using fireworks, sky lanterns, binary exploding targets and air curtain burners. Burn barrels or burn cages are also prohibited in the Kamloops Fire Centre.

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Those who don’t follow the rules around open burning could face tickets of $1,150, pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. Additionally, if the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

This ban will stay in effect until noon, Oct. 11, 2024, or until the order is rescinded.