Effective at noon, Friday, July 12, and until further notice, all open burning, including campfires, are banned in the City of Parksville and the surrounding fire protection area.
The fire protection area encompasses the City of Parksville, French Creek areas bordering the City of Parksville to the edge of the fire protection area at Johnston and Drew Roads, San Pareil, Fourneau Road, Wildgreen Road and Martindale Road areas, according to a news release by Parksville Fire Rescue.
The ban applies to open fires of any size, campfires, fireworks, firecrackers, sky lanterns, tiki torches, burning barrels and binary exploding targets. This ban has been implemented by the Parksville fire chief in conjunction with the ban implemented by the Coastal Fire Centre covering Vancouver Island and the south coast.
Beach fires are not permitted at any time in the Parksville Qualicum Wildlife Management Area which includes the entire waterfront area in the Parksville Fire Protection Area.
Because Parksville beaches are provincial jurisdiction, beach fires should be reported to the RAPP line (Report All Poachers and Polluters) at 1-877-952-7277 (RAPP) or #7277 on the Telus Mobility Network.
The ban on opening burning is effective throughout the Coastal Fire Centre, which includes the Regional District of Nanaimo, according to a news release by the RDN. These bans apply to all public and private land and are in place until Oct. 31, 2024, or until the order is rescinded by BC Wildfire Service.
Reporting should be as follows:
• Fire emergency (threat to lives and/or property) - 911
• Open fire in the Parksville Fire Protection Area - 250-248-3242
• Beach fires (RAPP line) 1-877-952-7277
The ban does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes or to portable campfire apparatus with a CSA or ULC rating using briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel that are not capable of producing a flame longer than 15 centimetres. Portable campfire apparatus that does not meet these conditions are prohibited.
To help residents access fire services-related information, the RDN has a Fire Protection and Open Burning Regulations interactive map. The online tool shows residents which fire department provides fire protection services in their area and also provides useful links to burning bylaws, venting index information and the Province’s website for the most up-to-date information on fire bans and restrictions.
This ban has been implemented also by the Qualicum Beach Fire Chief in conjunction with the ban implemented by the BC Wildfire Service to help prevent human-caused wildfires and to protect public safety, according to a news release by the Qualicum Beach Fire Department.
For the latest information on fire restrictions in the Parksville Fire Protection Area, visit parksvillefirerescue.ca or follow the Parksville Fire Department on Twitter and Facebook.
For information on provincial wild fire activity, conditions and prohibitions, visit the Wildfire Management Branch website at bcwildfire.ca. To report a wildfire, call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on a mobile phone.
— NEWS Staff
