Effective noon Friday, May 17, Category 2 (backyard) and Category 3 (industrial) open fires will be prohibited in Coastal Fire Centre areas, including the Sunshine Coast.
Campfires no larger than half a metre wide by half a metre high in size and responsibly attended will continued to be permitted in areas under the authority of regional fire departments, with the exception of locations within the Town of Gibsons. That municipality does not allow campfires at any time.
To confirm if an address is in an SCRD fire department area, addresses can be checked on the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) website.
The Pender Harbour Volunteer Fire Department, which is not under the jurisdiction of the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has posted on its website the same restrictions as introduced by the regional district.
“If you are planning to have a campfire, you must ensure that you always have at least eight litres of water or a hand tool with you while the campfire is lit. Before leaving your fire, you must put it out so that it is cool to the touch,” a May 14 news release from the SCRD, which announced the BC Wildfire restrictions, stated.
Also part of the announced restrictions within SCRD fire department areas are the discharge of fireworks, use of sky lanterns, binary exploding targets, burn barrels or cages of any size, and air curtain burners.
On May 13, the SCRD issued a release outlining rules for respectful use of regional beach access points. Those include locating beach fires below the high-tide line, within a containment ring of rocks. The area around a campfire must be clear of debris and combustible materials. The public was reminded to ensure any campfire is fully extinguished, before leaving the site for any extended period.
