Category 1 campfires will be permitted throughout the Southeast Fire Centre as of 1:00 p.m. MT today (September 1).
Anyone choosing to light a Category 1 campfire must do so responsibly as follows:
- Do not burn in windy conditions
- Establish and maintain a fuel break
- Do not leave the fire unattended
- Ensure the fire is fully extinguished before leaving the area
- Carry out fire control immediately and/or report the fire if it spreads beyond the established fuel break
Other activities which were previously included in the category 1 campfire prohibition will now be permitted in the Southeast Fire Centre:
- The use of sky lanterns
- The use of wood-fired hot tubs, wood-fired pizza ovens and other wood-fired devices unless vented through a structure that has a flue and is incorporated in a building
The BC Wildfire Service says they assess several factors before rescinding prohibitions. This includes balancing public needs with the need to mitigate the risk of human-caused wildfires.
The combination of current and future forecasts, recent precipitation, and improved overnight recoveries has reduced the need to prohibit campfires in the Southeast.
As of September 1, 2026, the following open fires remain prohibited in the Southeast Fire Centre:
- Category 2 open fire as defined in the Wildfire Regulation
- Category 3 open fire as defined in the Wildfire Regulation
The following activities and equipment also remain restricted:
- Air curtain burners
- Carbonizers
- Fireworks as defined in the Fireworks Act of BC
- Binary exploding targets
- Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
- Controlled air incinerators
A Category 2 open fire is a fire that burns:
- Material in one pile not exceeding 2 metres in height and 3 metres in width
- Material concurrently in 2 piles each not exceeding 2 metres in height and 3 metres in width
- Stubble or grass over an area that does not exceed 0.2 hectares
A Category 3 open fire is a fire that burns:
- Material concurrently in 3 or more piles, each not exceeding 2 metres in height and 3 metres in width
- Material in one or more piles, each exceeding 2 metres in height and 3 metres in width
- One or more windrows each not exceeding 200 metres in length or 15 metres in width
- Stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 hectares
Anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition 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 up to one year in jail.
If your fire causes or contributes to a wildfire, you may be fined up to $1 million and/or sentenced to up to 3 years in jail and be responsible for all firefighting and associated costs.
More information about the Wildfire Act and Regulation is available online.
Report a wildfire, unattended campfire, or open burning violation by:
- Dialling *5555 on a cell phone
- Calling 1 800 663-5555 toll-free
- Reporting through the BC Wildfire App with the Report a fire function
- Reporting through the app lets you upload images and can be used without service
Stay up to date with the latest wildfire news at BCWildfire.ca.
Comments