Category 2 open fires, along with equipment and activities such as fireworks and burn barrels, are now permitted throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre, and the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) has announced a wildfire risk reduction project at Greenstone Mountain, 20 kilometres southwest of Kamloops.
BCWS is partnering with the Thompson Rivers Natural Resource District on the project, which will see crews working to burn approximately 50 piles, with the potential for additional piles as they are created.
The purpose of the project is to reduce fuels around infrastructure as part of wildfire risk reduction. Activities such as pile burning help reduce wildfire hazards by reducing accumulations of fuels (e.g. dead wood or brush) on the landscape.
Pile burning will only proceed if conditions are favourable, and BCWS personnel will carefully prepare, control, and monitor these piles at all times. Smoke from the piles may be visible from Kamloops, Tobiano, Cherry Creek, and Highway 1 through the end of November.
Seasonal fall temperatures and significant precipitation over the past few weeks have had a positive impact on the Kamloops Fire Centre's fire danger rating, and forecasted weather patterns have created favourable conditions for the lifting of the ban on Category 2 open fires. Fireworks, sky lanterns, binary exploding targets, air curtain burners, and burn barrels or burn cages are also allowed.
Category 3 open fires remain prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre. Local governments may also have their own burning restrictions in place, so always check with local authorities before lighting any fire of any size.
The BC Wildfire Service urges the public to take the following precautions with any allowed outdoor burning:
- Ensure that enough people, water, and tools are on hand to control the fire.
- Do not burn in windy conditions. The weather can change quickly, and wind may carry embers to other combustible material and start new fires.
- Create a fire guard around the planned fire site by clearing away twigs, grass, leaves, and other combustible material right down to the mineral soil.
- Never leave a fire unattended.
- Make sure that your fire is fully extinguished, and the ashes are cold to the touch, before leaving the area.
To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on your cell phone. For more information about fire bans or restrictions, visit www.bcwildfire.ca.
