British Columbia expands fire bans on July 15-16

British Columbia is imposing a series of new open fire bans across multiple regions this week as officials brace for a heightened wildfire risk from forecasted dry lightning and persistent warm, dry conditions. The restrictions, which began taking effect on July 15 and will expand on July 16, are designed to prevent human-caused ignitions as natural fire activity is expected to increase.

The Northwest Fire Centre instituted a Category 2 open fire ban at noon on July 15 for its entire region. This prohibition targets larger fires, such as those burning material in piles up to two metres high and three metres wide, or grass over areas up to 0.2 hectares. It does not apply to small campfires, defined as those under half a metre in both height and width, or to cooking stoves using gas, propane, or briquettes. This ban is scheduled to remain in effect until September 25 unless conditions change.

A more comprehensive Category 1 ban will follow at noon on July 16 across most of the Coastal Fire Centre region, which includes Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, Haida Gwaii, and the south and central coast. This prohibition extends to all campfires, expanding upon existing bans on...