At noon on Wednesday, August 17, 2016, campfires and Category 3 open burning will be banned in most areas of the Coastal Fire Centre, with the exception of Haida Gwaii and the Fog Zone.

The Fog Zone is a band of land two kilometres wide that runs from Owen Point near Port Renfrew to the district boundary of Port Hardy.

The Coastal Fire Centre is implementing the additional prohibitions due to increasing temperatures and because there is no rain expected soon in the region.

The following activities will not be allowed:

campfires, as defined by the Wildfire Regulation (burning of woody debris)

open fires (using woody debris) in an outdoor stove

tiki torches

the use of fireworks, firecrackers, sky lanterns, burning barrels or burning cages of any size or description

the use of binary exploding targets (e.g. for rifle target practice)

This ban does not apply to CSA-rated or ULC-rated cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes; or to a CSA-rated or ULC-rated portable campfire apparatus that uses briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, so long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.

Anyone found in contravention of this ban, may be issued a ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail.

If they cause or contribute to a wildfire, the person responsible may also be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

This ban will remain in effect until Oct. 21, 2016 or unless otherwise notified.