A campfire ban will not be put in place ahead of the August long weekend, with fire officials for the Coastal Fire Centre saying conditions are still damp enough. (Dreamstime)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

cook away

Campfires remain permitted for August long weekend

Jul 28, 2022 | 12:51 PM

NANAIMO — A B.C. Day long weekend hot dog or s’more is still on the menu, despite a stretch of extra hot, dry weather.

The Coastal Fire Centre confirmed it will not implement a campfire ban for the region ahead of the August long weekend, meaning small fires for cooking or other enjoyment while out camping will remain permitted.

Nadia Linning, fire information officer, told NanaimoNewsNOW the weather has dried the region out, but there’s still a sufficient buffer before a total fire ban needs to be implemented.

“We are seeing this drying and warming pattern and most of the Island and Fire Centre are now in moderate to high fire danger rating. We’re constantly re-evaluating…and our forecasters are pretty on it and once we’ve reached that threshold, we’ll re-evaulate that.”

Campfires measure half a metre by half a metre in size. Most other fires for the Coastal Fire Centre are currently banned through an open fire ban implemented earlier this summer.

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Fire officials say any campfires lit should come with a fuel break around them, along with plenty of water in order to fully extinguish it, cool to the touch, before leaving it unattended.

As of Thursday, July 28, the Coastal Fire Centre reported 39 fires, a vast majority on the mainland. It pales in comparison with the 145 recorded at this time last year.

Linning said only small, minor fires have been confirmed on Vancouver Island to date including one declared out on Wednesday, July 27 near Lake Cowichan.

“We had a pretty quick, initial attack on that one and it only spread to about 0.1 hectares in size, about the size of a basketball court, but we had a really quick response on that, bring it under control and call it out.”

Anyone who sees smoke and wants to report a wildfire can do so by calling the BC Wildfire Service at 1-800-663-5555, or *5555 on a cell phone.

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