Campfires banned in all of B.C. due to wildfire risk
Campfires were banned in all of British Columbia on Monday in an attempt to prevent human-caused wildfires amid persistently hot, dry and volatile conditions.
Officials made the announcement at a news conference in which Emergency Preparedness Minister Bowinn Ma provided an update on the situation in the province. Over the weekend there were 23,000 lightning strikes and 115 new blazes were sparked, prompting evacuation orders and alerts in the northwest, northeast and Cariboo regions.
"We are anticipating continued extreme fire behavior and all of us need to do our part to prevent the situation from becoming any worse no matter where we are in the province," Ma said.
A campfire is defined as anything smaller than 0.5 metres wide and 0.5 metres tall. Also banned is the use of fireworks, "tiki" or similar torches, chimineas, or sky lanterns. Penalties for violating the ban can include fines, jail time, and liability for firefighting costs. Haida Gwaii is exempt from the ban.
The complete ban is necessary, officials say, due to tinder-dry conditions caused by an ongoing drought across much of the province combined with a forecast that calls for more heat and lightning.
"We do not have the capacity right now to respond to fires that we can prevent," Cliff Chapman with the BC Wildfire Service added, explaining why the prohibition is being introduced.
"At this point in time, we're really trying to use the measures within our control to prevent human-caused fires. And that starts, really, with this total prohibition on all categories of fires."
Chapman noted that provincial firefighting crews are working long hours and battling fatigue. Resources have been called in to support their efforts from countries like Korea, France and the Dominican Republic – an unprecedented move made necessary by the dire situation nationwide.
"We are asking for help from the globe, essentially, to come and support our response efforts right now. If we have just one campfire that gets away and starts a very impactful fire – that's going to draw resources away from wherever they currently are," he said.
"I just want to stress, we cannot afford to have human-caused fires."
Ma also stressed that drought conditions are compounding fire risk and urged people in the province to conserve water, alluding to the possibility that water restrictions beyond those that have already been brought in by local governments could soon be introduced.
"This is an extremely challenging time for people and communities. It is immensely stressful living day-to-day with smoke, or being near a fire, or being on an evacuation alert. Knowing there may be increasingly tight water restrictions to ensure there's enough water for essential purposes is also extremely difficult," she said.
She also said the province is not yet in a position where a state of emergency is necessary, emphasizing individual actions people should take such as complying with evacuation orders, preparing a grab-and-go bag, reporting wildfires, limiting water use, and familiarizing themselves with emergency procedures and resources.
A state of emergency has been declared for the unincorporated Stikine region. Because that region has no local government, the province needs to make the declaration in order to allow for evacuation orders and alerts.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Stolen septic truck swerves through traffic, spike belt needed to stop it: Manitoba RCMP
A 29-year-old woman has been charged after police say she stole a septic truck from a Manitoba community and drove erratically on the highway.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.