Campfire ban to be lifted across B.C.’s South Coast ahead of Victoria Day long weekend

Campfires will soon be permitted again across B.C.’s South Coast after the B.C. Wildfire Service announced it is rescinding the Category 1 campfire prohibition ahead of the Victoria Day long weekend. The change takes effect at 12 p.m. on Friday, May 15, across the Coastal Fire Centre.

The fire ban had only been put in place last week, after an unusually early stretch of hot, dry weather drove up wildfire risk across southwest British Columbia. At the time, it was described as the earliest campfire prohibition recorded in the Coastal Fire Centre since tracking began in 2003.

Cooler weather prompted the reversal

The Coastal Fire Centre says the outlook has improved enough to allow small campfires again.

According to the wildfire service, cooler temperatures, better humidity levels and an overall drop in wildfire hazard led officials to reverse the ban. That shift in conditions helped reduce the immediate concern that human-caused fires could spread quickly over the long weekend.

Campfires are considered Category 1 fires and must be no larger than half a metre high by half a metre wide.

Larger open burning still banned

While small campfires are being allowed again, bigger burns will remain off-limits throughout the Coastal Fire Centre.

That means Category 2 and Category 3 open burning will continue to be prohibited across the region, including larger pile burns and other more substantial open-fire activities. The Coastal Fire Centre’s current restrictions page confirms those prohibitions remain in place.

The Coastal Fire Centre covers a broad area that includes the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island and other coastal regions of B.C.

Officials still urging caution

Even with the campfire ban lifted, wildfire officials are urging people to be careful.

The Coastal Fire Centre says anyone lighting a campfire should avoid burning in windy conditions, never leave a fire unattended and make sure it is fully extinguished before leaving the area.

The province also warns that violating open burning prohibitions can lead to fines, administrative penalties or prosecution, especially if a prohibited fire causes or contributes to a wildfire.