Open burning ban coming into effect for some South Okanagan towns

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) has announced that the open burning season will be coming to a close next week.

In a news release issued Tuesday afternoon, the RDOS says the ban goes into effect at midnight on Monday, April 15 and will remain in place until Oct. 15.

Opening burning will be prohibited in five Fire Protection Areas, which include Anarchist, Kaleden, Naramata, Okanagan Falls, and Willowbrook.

“If your property is located outside the areas listed above, please check with your local authority or the Province of BC,” the news release says.

The BC Wildfire Service classifies open burns as:

• Any open fire that burns material in one or two piles, each no larger than two metres in height and three metres in width, or burning grass over an area less than 0.2 hectares.

• Any open fire larger than two metres by three metres, burning three or more piles smaller than two metres by three metres or burning an area of grass or stubble over an area greater than 0.2 hectares.

Campfires will still be permitted after April 15, or until provincial bans are announced later this spring. Local fire chiefs can also ban campfires at any time.

According to the RDOS, a campfire is an open fire that burns wood in one pile not exceeding 0.5 metres in height and 0.5 metres in width, and specifically for heating or warmth, cooking, or Indigenous ceremonial purpose.

For more information, please review Bylaw No. 2898, 2020 on the RDOS website.

The use of fireworks throughout those five Fire Protection Areas will be in accordance with provisional regulations of the RDOS Fireworks Bylaw No. 2854, 2019.