Brief: fire ban now in effect across BC, including Revelstoke

The BC Wildfire services says the ban on category 2 and category 3 open burning is to prevent wildfires and protect public safety

A map showing the Southeast Fire Centre prohibition areas. Photo: BC Wildfire Service

A fire ban is now in effect across BC. The ban on category 2 and category 3 open burning, which started at 12 p.m. on Thursday, May 18 will remain in effect until October 28, 2023. This includes the Southeast Fire Centre, which Revelstoke is a part of.

In a statement, the BC Wildfire Service said the ban is “to help prevent wildfires caused by category 2 and 3 open burning and to protect public safety.”

A category 2 open fire is one which:

  • burns material in one pile not exceeding 2 m in height and 3 m in width,
  • burns material concurrently in 2 piles each not exceeding 2 m in height and 3 m in width, or
  • burns stubble or grass over an area that does not exceed 0.2 ha.

Category 3 open fires are described as:

  • material concurrently in 3 or more piles each not exceeding 2 m in height and 3 m in width,
  • material in one or more piles each exceeding 2 m in height or 3 m in width,
  • one or more windrows, each not exceeding 200 m in length or 15 m in width,
  • stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 ha.

In addition, the following are also prohibited:

  • Fireworks
  • Binary exploding targets
  • Sky lanterns
  • Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
  • Air curtain burners

Category 1 fires – campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller, or cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes are still allowed.

Melissa Jameson is the civic affairs reporter for the Revelstoke Mountaineer. She handles the newsy side of goings on about Revelstoke. Got a news tip? Feel free to contact Melissa at melissa@revelstokemountaineer.com