Campfires/Open Burning (District of Clearwater)
Clearwater, British Columbia
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# Campfires/Open Burning
### Category 1 campfires permitted throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre- District of Clearwater
KAMLOOPS - Effective at 12:00 noon Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on September 3, Category 1 campfires will be permitted throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre. Category 2 and Category 3 open fires remain prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre. As the campfire prohibition is being lifted, we ask the public to remain vigilant and follow all regulations when enjoying campfires. To learn more about open fire and safer burning, check out our webpage here.
A map of the affected area is available here
A campfire is defined as:
* Any fire no larger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide (a fire larger than this is considered a Category 2 fire).
* A campfire is defined as:
* Used by any person for recreational purposes or by a First Nation for a ceremonial purpose
The following activities remain prohibited:
* Air curtain burners
* Carbonizers
* Binary exploding targets
* Fireworks, as defined in the *Fireworks Act* of BC
* Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description, except when used for a Category 1 campfire as defined in the *Wildfire Regulation*
* Controlled air incinerators
Other activities which were previously prohibited, but will now be permitted include:
* Sky lanterns
* Wood fired hot tubs, wood fired pizza ovens and other wood fired devices, including those vented through a structure that has a flue and is incorporated in a building
The rescind of this prohibition applies to all areas in the Fire Centre that are outside of municipal boundaries. In addition, this rescindment applies to the following types of land within municipal boundaries:
* parks, conservancies and recreation areas (Park Act);
* recreation sites, recreation trails, interpretive forest sites and trail-based recreation areas (Forest and Range Practices Act);
* ecological reserves (Ecological Reserve Act);
* wildlife management areas (Wildlife Act); and
* private managed forest land (Private Managed Forest Land Act).
Municipalities often follow BC Wildfire Service prohibitions or may impose different prohibitions based on conditions in their local area. If you are in a municipality, be sure to check if local prohibitions are in place. If you are within a regional district or improvement district, this rescindment applies as well as any local prohibition rescindments issued by the regional district or improvement district. BC Parks follows BC Wildfire Service prohibitions.
Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
The Kamloops Fire Centre would like to thank the public for its ongoing help in preventing wildfires. To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663 5555 toll-free or \*5555 on a cell phone. For up-to-date information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories visit www.bcwildfire.ca.
**For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions and more:**
* Visit BCWildfire.ca
* Download the free BC Wildfire Service public mobile app or access the map and dashboard online
Follow the BC Wildfire Service on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube
**Contact:**
Fire Information Officer
BC Wildfire Service
Kamloops Fire Centre
250-554-5965
**Report a wildfire or violation**
To report a wildfire, unattended campfire, or open burning violation inside the District of Clearwater, dial **911**
**Local contact**
For more information regarding the District of Clearwater prohibition, please contact:
**District of Clearwater Fire Department**
Phone: **250-674-1278**
Email: **[email protected] **
The District of Clearwater thanks residents and visitors for doing their part to prevent human-caused wildfires and protect our community.
## Fire Safety
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* Never burn in strong wind conditions
* The fire pit must be:
+ at least five (5) metres from adjacent property lines, buildings, trees, shrubs, debris or other combustible material;
+ not exceed 0.5 metres by 0.5 metres; and
+ must be contained within the fire pit
* Only untreated lumber, dry and seasoned firewood may be used for fuel. Leaves, grass, hay, garden, woodland debris or other compostable waste must not be burned in a campfire
* The campfire must always have a person attending to and continuously supervising the fire
* The campfire must be controlled by a competent person who is equipped with extinguishing materials and equipment
* The person attending the fire must ensure the campfire does not present a hazard or nuisance to other people, is extinguished if conditions become unsafe for the fire to continue and is **completely** extinguished before leaving the site
* If the fire spreads beyond the pit or otherwise becomes out of control, the person attending must immediately carry out fire control, extinguish the fire, report the fire as soon as possible to the Fire Department, the RCMP, or a fire emergency response center, and comply with any directions given by the responder
## Burning Permits
---
* Requirement for all Category 2 and Category 3 Open Fires between **October 1st until of May 15th** of any year.
* backyard burning of garbage and other "prohibited materials" is not allowed under provincial law, except with specific authorization. Air pollution from burning of waste contains toxic pollutants, can generate plumes of smoke which are unsightly and/or a public safety concern, can generate odors, and can result in public complaints to R.A.P.P.
**RESIDENTIAL AND OPEN BURNING REGULATIONS**
**Category 2 Open Fire (Residential/ Garden Refuse)**
* pile does not exceed 2m in height and 3m in width
* any fire must be supervised until completely extinguished
**Category 3 Open Fire (Industrial, Commercial, Lot Clearing)**
Anyone who lights, fuels or makes use of a Category 3 open fire must comply with the Environmental Management Act and the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation. Before lighting a Category 3 fire, review "A Guide to the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation" (particularly the information about prohibited materials). The Environmental Management Act requires individuals to check local venting conditions prior to lighting a Category 3 open fire, to ensure that local conditions are suitable for burning. The venting index or ventilation index is updated daily.
* burns material in one or more piles, with each pile exceeding two metres in height or three metres in width;
* check that there are no prohibitions or other restrictions in place for doing so;
* the person lighting the fire is entirely responsible and must take all precautions to burn safely and must ensure that the fire is fully extinguished and the ashes are cold to the touch;
* Burn registration number required, obtained from the Province of BC by calling 1 888 797-1717.
**Burning Permits** are free of charge. To obtain one, call 250.674.1278 and have your details ready, purpose of the burn and ideal day and time and the Fire Chief will arrange a time to inspect the site and issue the burning permit. Please allow some time for this process. You may also download the form and email it completed to [email protected] .
**Download Burning Permit Form**
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#### Before lighting a fire, please check the red links below for information
* Current fire bans in the Kamloops Fire Centre
* Ventilation index
* Current danger rating
It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with Fire Department Bylaw No. 233.
Copyright © 2026 The District of Clearwater. All Rights Reserved.
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