Effective at noon (Pacific time) on Friday, July 3, 2015,
all open burning, including campfires and fireworks, will be prohibited
throughout the majority of the province, Forests, Lands and Natural
Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson announced today.

This prohibition will remain in place until the public is otherwise
notified.

This extraordinary step is being taken to help prevent human-caused
wildfires and protect public safety. Unseasonably hot and dry weather
is being experienced around the province and any preventable, human-
caused fires divert critical personnel and resources from other
incidents. The BC Wildfire Service is responding to over 150 active
fires in the province.

Campfires will still be allowed in the area known as the “Fog Zone”
along the western coast of Vancouver Island. A map of the area covered
by this open burning prohibition and campfire ban is available online
at: http://bit.ly/1IyUZG4

This ban applies to:

* open fires of any size, including campfires;

* the use of fireworks, sky lanterns and tiki torches;

* burning barrels or burning cages of any size or description;

* the use of binary exploding targets (e.g., for rifle target
practice); and

* the use of air curtain burners (forced-air burning systems).