Campfire Bans and Restrictions
A campfire is an open fire that burns piled material no larger than 0.5 m in height and 0.5 m in width and is used by any person for recreational purpose, or by a First Nation for a ceremonial purpose.
Many British Columbians and visitors to our province enjoy campfires. To prevent your campfire from turning in to a wildfire be sure to:
- Check current campfire restrictions for the area you are in
- Select your campsite and campfire location carefully
- Remove all leaves, twigs and other flammable material from the area around where you plan to light your campfire
- Never have a campfire when it’s windy
- Choose a proper fire pit or make a ring of rocks at least three metres from trees, shrubs, structures and debris
- Do not leave a campfire unattended for ANY amount of time
- Keep a bucket of at least eight litres of water close by the fire at all time, and/or a hand tool (such as a shovel) to extinguish the fire properly
- Completely extinguish your campfire before you go to sleep or leave the area for any period of time.
- To extinguish your campfire, pour plenty of water on the fire and surrounding area, dousing the site of the campfire thoroughly. Stir the campfire until there are no embers and the ashes are cold to the touch.
Poorly managed and abandoned campfires result in numerous wildfires each year. Follow the links below to find out the best ways to avoid your campfire from turning into a wildfire.
Current Bans and Restrictions
http://bcfireinfo.for.gov.bc.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/Bans.asp