Effective tomorrow at noon, campfires will not be allowed in Squamish and all campfire permits will be suspended. Anyone who has received a campfire permit will receive an email from Squamish Fire Rescue informing them about the ban and suspension.
The ban, which was earlier rescinded, is being put back in place again as fire crews battle wildfires across the province, including a wildfire near Mamquam River that continues to spread.
As of tomorrow at noon, all campfires will be banned throughout the Coastal Fire Centre, which includes the Sea to Sky Region, with Haida Gwaii Forest District being the only exception. This prohibition is being enacted to help prevent human caused wildfires and protect public safety, the fire centre said. The prohibitions apply to all public and private land within the Coastal Fire Centre jurisdiction. This prohibition will be in place until Tuesday, October 31, 2023, or until the order is rescinded.
A campfire as defined by the wildfire regulation is any fire smaller than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide. In addition to campfires, Category 2, and Category 3 open fire ban remains in effect and the following activities are also prohibited: Fireworks, Sky Lanterns, Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description, Binary Exploding Targets, Air curtain burners and Tiki and similar kind of torches.
Anyone who lights, fuels or uses an open fire when a fire prohibition is in place or fails to comply with an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150 or, if convicted in court, 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 subject to a penalty of up to $100,000 and ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
