Barbecue ban: Some Metro Vancouver cities prohibit cooking in parks during wildfire season
With warm weather expected to continue in Metro Vancouver, it may be tempting to fire up the grill in a local park.
Some municipalities, however, have bans and restrictions in place because of the high risk of wildfires. In fact, some cities just announced bans on all cooking – even with propane – in public green spaces in recent days.
"Guys, we live in a beautiful community full of lots and lots of forest … that is all fuel. We need our residents to be extremely diligent and be vigilant when you're in the woods," said Port Moody Fire Rescue Lt. Jeff Scallion in a video posted to social media Thursday.
Fines for breaking fire and cooking bans vary, with some municipalities saying tickets can be up to $500. Last week, however, Mounties in Kamloops said a man could face fines of more than $1,000 after a camping stove sparked a grass fire in a ditch by the highway.
As of 3 p.m. on July 27, these were the statuses of barbecue restrictions across Metro Vancouver:
Vancouver: A temporary ban on all barbecues is now in full effect at all Vancouver parks and beaches as of July 27.
City of North Vancouver: Starting July 25, the City of North Vancouver entered a full ban on barbecues at all parks. Smoking and campfires are also prohibited.
Port Moody: All cooking and smoking in Port Moody parks is prohibited while the city is under an extreme fire warning, which it entered on July 22.
New Westminster: As of July 22, all campfires, open fires, smoking and outdoor cooking is banned in New Westminster parks. That includes propane, charcoal and wood-burning barbecues.
Belcarra: As of July 23, all cooking appliances are banned in public parks and public spaces. That includes propane and charcoal barbecues.
Surrey: The city says natural gas, propane or charcoal briquettes are permitted as long as they are being used in ULC/CSA-approved devices for that particular product.
Coquitlam: A permit is now required to barbecue in Coquitlam parks, except at Blue Mountain Park, Mackin Park, Spani Pool and Town Centre Park. More details can be found online.
Burnaby: The use of barbecues (charcoal/briquette/wood) in Burnaby and beaches is currently prohibited. Propane barbecues are permitted. Smoking also isn't permitted in Burnaby parks, trails and green spaces.
Richmond: On July 14, Richmond Fire Rescue Services posted a notice saying natural gas or propane stoves aren't allowed in Richmond parks, except in Garry Point, King George Community, South Arm Community and McDonald beach parks, in designated areas. Richmond Fire Rescue confirmed those rules were current as of July 23. Maps of those areas can be seen online.
District of North Vancouver: No open flames of any kind, including propane barbecues, are permitted in district parks or beaches until further notice.
Maple Ridge: In a notice posted last month, Maple Ridge Fire Department said a "total fire ban" was in effect as of June 30 in the city. However, that ban doesn't include the use of CSA-rated or ULC-rated barbeques, camping type stoves or portable campfire apparatus using camping gas, natural gas/propane, or briquette barbeques, on your property. CTV News has reached out for an update on the rules in parks.
Port Coquitlam: Charcoal and wood-burning barbecues aren't permitted in Port Coquitlam parks. Propane barbecues are still permitted in designated areas.
West Vancouver: All barbecues, including propane, are banned at district parks and beaches until further notice.
City of Langley: As of July 27, only propane barbecues may be used in designated areas of certain parks. However, visitors are warned to "look for signs that may prohibit this due to the dry conditions."
Delta: As of July 26, all outdoor cooking devices, including propane barbecues and grills, are banned in all of Delta's parks, trails and natural lands.
Pitt Meadows: All barbecues, including propane, are banned at parks and beaches until further notice.
Village of Anmore: All cooking appliances are banned in public parks, public spaces and unimproved areas. The ban includes CSA- or UL-rated cooking stoves that utilize propane or charcoal briquettes, or portable campfire devices.
Bowen Island: As of July 23, Bowen Island was under a high danger rating, which means only propane barbecues are permitted in public spaces. If the municipality moves to an extreme danger rating, all barbecues will be banned in public spaces.
Township of Langley, White Rock, and Lions Bay all didn't have information about barbecue bans posted online. CTV News Vancouver has reached out to these municipalities for information.
As of Friday afternoon, there were 270 active wildfires in the province. So far this fiscal year, 1,193 wildfires have been recorded in the province. Of those, 34 per cent are believed to be caused by humans.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.