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Campfire ban announced in the Kootenays as fire dangers reach ‘extreme’

Ban will go into effect Thursday, Aug. 4, as fire danger rating is high to extreme in the region
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The Southeast Fire Centre has announced a campfire ban effective Aug. 4.

The Southeast Fire Centre is banning campfires as hot and dry conditions have pushed fire danger ratings to extreme levels in the region.

The ban, which covers the Kootenay region, will go into effect on Thursday, Aug. 4, at noon, and follows a similar directive issued yesterday by the Kamloops Fire Centre.

Wildfire activity has picked up across the province following numerous lightning strikes from a hot and dry weather front that moved across the province last week.

Other fire-related prohibitions include on open burning, fireworks, sky lanterns, air curtain burners, binary exploding targets and the use of tiki torches.

Anyone contravening the bans can face significant consequences, including heavy ticketed fines or court-administered penalties.

There have been 486 wildfires in B.C. this wildfire season, which begins in April – 149 within the Kamloops Fire Centre as of Aug. 1.

The Southeast Fire Centre has seen 81 wildfires that have burned a total of 518 hectares.

While larger wildfires are currently burning in the Okanagan, an estimated 1,500-hectare blaze was burning at Briggs Creek near Kaslo Tuesday, which sparked an evacuation alert for 14 properties on B.C. Day.



Trevor Crawley

About the Author: Trevor Crawley

Trevor Crawley has been a reporter with the Cranbrook Townsman and Black Press in various roles since 2011.
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