Effective at noon on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013, campfires and Category 3 open fires will be permitted in the following areas of the Coastal Fire Centre: from Courtenay north on Vancouver Island and on the Mainland from Hotham Sound north.

Campfires, Category 2 open fires and Category 3 open fires also will be allowed in Haida Gwaii and the area known as the "Fog Zone". A map of the affected areas is available online at: http://bit.ly/1d1cDmr

The campfire, Category 2 open fire and Category 3 open fire prohibition remains in place in the Coastal Fire Centre on:

• Vancouver Island south of a line drawn through Nootka Sound (just south of Gold River) to Brean Road (just north of Buckley Bay).
• The Mainland south of a line drawn from Hotham Sound (just north of Jervis Inlet) and north to Mount Alfred.

Open fires are allowed on the following islands: Texada Island, Harwood Island and islands north of those islands.

Open fires are not allowed on Nelson Island, Hornby Island, Denman Island, Lasqueti Island and islands south of those islands.

This partial rescinding of the open fire prohibition applies to all BC Parks, Crown land and private land outside of organized areas. Organized areas are areas within the boundaries of local governments that have forest fire prevention bylaws and are serviced by fire departments. Before lighting any fire, residents should check with local authorities regarding any current restrictions.

The prohibition does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.

Campfires may not be larger than a half-metre high by a half-metre wide. Anyone lighting a campfire must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable material from around the campfire area and have a hand tool or at least eight litres of water nearby to properly extinguish the fire.

A Category 3 open fire is a fire that burns material in piles larger than two metres high by three metres wide, windrows or grass over an area larger than 2,000 square metres. Any person lighting a Category 3 open fire (where permitted) in the Coastal Fire Centre must comply with burning regulations and must first obtain a burn registration number by calling 1 888 797-1717.

For information about open burning and tips on making responsible burning decisions, please read the open burning guides at: http://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/Bans.asp

The Coastal Fire Centre covers all of the area west of the height of land on the Coast Mountain Range north of the U.S.-Canada border at Manning Park, including Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park in the north, the Sunshine Coast, the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Haida Gwaii.

We would like to thank the public for exercising caution with campfires. All human-caused wildfires are preventable.

Anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition may be fined $345 or, if convicted in court, be fined up to $100,000 and sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person may be subject to a penalty of up to $10,000 and ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

For the latest information on fire activity, conditions and prohibitions, visit the Wildfire Management Branch website at: www.bcwildfire.ca

You can also follow the latest wildfire news on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo

and on Facebook at: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo

To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or call *5555 on your cellphone.

Media Contacts:

Donna MacPherson
Fire Information Officer
Wildfire Management Branch
Coastal Fire Centre
250 951-4209
Donna.MacPherson@gov.bc.ca

Marg Drysdale
Fire Information Officer
Wildfire Management Branch
Coastal Fire Centre
250 951-4209
Marg.Drysdale@gov.bc.ca