While the town of Lytton is burning and more than 75 fires are raging across the province, Castlegar’s fire chief is reminding residents that campfires and fireworks are banned in the province — and that includes your back yard.
The ban went into effect at noon on June 30. It will remain in place until October 15 or until the province rescinds its order.
A campfire ban includes any type of burning that creates sparks. It doesn’t matter if it is small, in a fire ring or in a fire bowl — it’s not allowed.
“With record-breaking temperatures and dry conditions, we’re asking the community to take this ban very seriously,” says Fire Chief, Sam Lattanzio. “We do everything we can to keep our community safe and we’re now asking the community to take all the precautions to prevent fires during these unprecedented times.”
Category 2 and Category 3 open fires also remain prohibited.
The following activities are also prohibited: the use of sky lanterns, fireworks, burn barrels or burn cages, binary exploding targets, tiki and similar kinds of torches, chimineas, air curtain burners, and outdoor stoves or other portable campfire apparatus without a Canadian Standards Association or Underwriter Laboratories of Canada rating.
Fines for breaking the rules start at $1,150, plus you could receive a penalty of up to $10,000 or be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
READ MORE: Fire damages general store in Fruitvale
betsy.kline@castlegarnews.com
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