Full rescind of Category 2 and Category 3 prohibitions in Coastal Fire Centre
PARKSVILLE – Effective at 12 p.m. (noon) PCT on Wednesday September 30, 2026, all remaining Category 2 and Category 3 open fire prohibitions within the Coastal Fire Centre’s jurisdiction will be lifted.
Category 2 open fire is an open fire, other than a campfire, that burns:
- One pile of material no larger than 2 metres high by 3 metres wide;
- Up to two piles of material at the same time, with each pile no larger than 2 metres high by 3 metres wide; or
- Stubble or grass over an area of 0.2 hectares or less.
Category 3 open fire is an open fire that burns:
- Three or more piles of material at the same time, with each pile no larger than 2 metres high by 3 metres wide;
- One or more piles of material that exceed 2 metres in height or 3 metres in width;
- One or more windrows; or
- Stubble or grass over an area greater than 0.2 hectares.
For a map of Fire Centre boundaries: please click here
A poster explaining the different categories of open burning is available online.
Other activities that were previously prohibited but will now be allowed include the following activities and equipment:
- Binary exploding targets
- Fireworks, as defined in the Fireworks Act of BC
- Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
- Controlled air incinerators
- Air curtain burners
- Carbonizers
To check BC Wildfire Service prohibitions in your location, visit our mobile app or the online interactive map. There you can turn on the “fire bans” layer and search for your location of interest. The pattern of the yellow overlay corresponds to the prohibitions currently in place. You can also click the overlay and select “more details” for full information.
BC Wildfire Service prohibitions apply to all Crown land that is outside of municipal boundaries. They also apply to the following types of land within municipal boundaries:
- Parks, conservancies and recreation areas (Park Act)
- Recreation sites, recreation trails, interpretive forest sites and trail-based recreation areas (Forest and Range Practices Act)
- Ecological reserves (Ecological Reserve Act)
- Wildlife management areas (Wildlife Act)
- Private managed forest land (Private Managed Forest Land Act)
Municipalities may impose different prohibitions or restrictions. Please check with your local government before lighting any open fire. Practicing fire safety and preparedness remains important all year long. Be aware of your local conditions and ensure that burning is done in a safe and responsible manner. For more information, visit: gov.bc.ca/saferburning
To report a wildfire, unattended campfire, or open burning violation, call 1-800-663-5555 tollfree, *5555 on a cell phone, or submit an electronic report through the BC Wildfire public mobile app. Stay up to date on the latest wildfire activity here.
Contact:
Fire Information Officer
Coastal Fire Centre
BC Wildfire Service
250-951-4209
BCWS.CoFCInfo@gov.bc.ca