Here's when and where campfire bans are coming into effect in B.C.
Campfire bans will come into effect Thursday for most of B.C. and remain in place until October, according to the BC Wildfire Service.
Category 1 bans have been announced for the Coastal Fire Centre, the Kamloops Fire Centre, the Prince George Fire Centre and the Cariboo Fire Centre.
"This prohibition is being enacted to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety," a bulletin from the service posted Tuesday explains. Also banned or restricted is the use of fireworks, "tiki" or similar torches, chimineas, or sky lanterns.
A campfire is defined as anything smaller than 0.5 metres wide and 0.5 metres tall. Larger open burning was already banned across the province as crews deal with a devastating start to the wildfire season.
"Anyone who lights, fuels or uses an open fire when a fire prohibition is in place or fails to comply with an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150 or, if convicted in court, be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail, the wildfire service says.
"If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be subject to a penalty of up to $100,000 and ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs."
The ban comes as the province continues to see unseasonably hot and dry weather and amid a concerning level of fire activity for this early in the season.
The Donnie Creek Complex in northeastern B.C. has already burned an area larger than last year’s entire fire season combined – roughly the size of the Lower Mainland – and the number of fires so far is well above the same period last year, as well as the 10-year average.
Natural Resources Canada’s Fire Weather Index shows nearly half the province in the top danger range, with the BC Wildfire Service’s “Danger rating map” showing two-thirds of the province as moderate to high risk of wildfire, with pockets of extreme risk.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Penny Daflos.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Canada will be absolutely fine': Justin Trudeau, his ministers and Pierre Poilievre congratulate Donald Trump
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet congratulated Donald Trump Wednesday morning on his second United States presidential election win, amid questions about how the federal government intends to navigate a second term.
What Donald Trump's election victory could mean for Canada
Following president-elect Donald Trump's decisive election victory, there are sure to be significant knock-on effects for Canada. Here's a look at the different areas in which a second Trump presidency may affect Canadians.
Kamala Harris concedes: Here's what she said in her speech
Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris conceded the U.S. election to Republican Donald Trump Wednesday afternoon, telling her supporters that her 'heart is full.'
Canada orders wind up of TikTok's Canadian business, app access to continue
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok's Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Newfoundland hockey player suspended, banned from local arena after off-ice fight with fan
A combination of a thrown stick and thrown punches have given a senior hockey player in Newfoundland a three-game suspension and an indefinite ban from one of his league's six arenas.
Controversial Australian Olympic breakdancer 'Raygun' retires from competition
Australian breaker Rachael Gunn has told a Sydney radio station that she plans to retire from competition just three months after her unconventional routine at the Paris Olympics led to her being ridiculed and spawned conspiracy theories about how she qualified for the Games.
Sleepy during the day? You may be at higher risk for a pre-dementia syndrome, study finds
If you find yourself sleepy during your daily activities in your older age, you may need to consider it more than an inconvenience — since the fatigue may indicate you’re at higher risk for developing a condition that can lead to dementia, a new study has found.
Kamala Harris made a historic dash for the White House. Here's why she fell short.
"Sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn't mean we won't win," U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris said on Wednesday in her concession speech.
Who won the popular vote? U.S. election vote totals from the past 40 years
Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency on Tuesday, and as of Wednesday morning, was also ahead in the popular vote. Historically, though, the candidate with the most votes hasn’t always won the contest.