Open burning prohibitions upcoming

As the snow shovels have been put away, homeowners are turning to rakes to tidy up their properties after the winter. One means of disposing of yard waste is the fire pit, but restrictions will soon be in place to halt the use of open burning for the summer.

In Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality open burns over Category 1 (ie: a simple campfire) are always restricted without a permit from Sun Peaks Fire Department.

Beyond the municipal boundary, in Whitecroft and Louis Creek, for instance, larger fires are allowed in the appropriate season.

That season ends on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 12 p.m. for the majority of the Kamloops Fire Centre, including Sun Peaks and environs. This prohibition will remain in effect until Oct. 15, 2012, or until further notice.

Specifically, prohibited activities include:

• The burning of any waste, slash or other materials (piled or unpiled) at a size larger than one metre by one metre.
• The burning of more than two open fires of any size at the same time.
• Stubble or grass fires of any size over any area.
• The use of fireworks or burning barrels of any size or description.

This prohibition does not ban campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide (or smaller) and does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.

Click here for a map of the affected areas.

For the latest information on fire activity, conditions and prohibitions, visit the Wildfire Management Branch website: www.bcwildfire.ca.

To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, dial *5555 on your cell phone or call toll-free to 1 800 663-5555.