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General News · 1st October 2026
Eli
The BC Wildfire Service has lifted the Category 2 and 3 open fire bans for our area. Before you light your brush piles, please check the rules and read the reminders below.
What counts as a Category 2 fire? A Category 2 fire is any one of these:
one pile no larger than 2 m high by 3 m wide
two piles burning at once, each no larger than 2 m by 3 m
stubble or grass over no more than 0.2 hectares
Anything bigger is a Category 3 fire. Category 3 fires have stricter rules and need a burn registration number.
BC Wildfire Service requirements
Keep a fuel break around each pile.
Have enough water or other firefighting equipment at the burn site.
At least one person with a firefighting hand tool must watch the fire the whole time. Never leave it unattended, even for a moment.
Put the fire out completely and make sure the ashes are cold to the touch before you leave.
Don't burn when venting conditions are poor or fair.
Smoke rules:
Cortes is a high smoke-sensitivity zone. The Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation applies to vegetative debris thicker than 3 cm.
Material:
Burn clean vegetation only. Never burn plastics, treated or painted wood, construction waste, tires or garbage.
Debris 3 to 10 cm thick: Burn it within 5 km of where it was cut.
Debris over 10 cm thick must meet the full rules:
Seasoned debris:
Burn only seasoned (cured) vegetation. Seasoned means it has been piled for at least 4 months, has a moisture content of 30% or less, or came from standing dead trees. In a high smoke-sensitivity zone like Cortes, seasoned debris is required if you use the reduced setbacks or if the burn runs over two days. Green material smoulders and makes far more smoke.
Venting:
The forecast must be "Good". Check the venting index map at https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6d288bc667b24528a5c1e3b4c0373d07¢er=1185577.1624%2C423985.7469%2C102190&scale=1155581.153 or call 1-888-281-2992.
Setbacks:
Stay at least 500 m from neighbouring homes and businesses, and 1,000 m from schools and hospitals. Those distances drop to 100 m and 500 m only if you meet extra conditions, including seasoned debris, a "Good" venting forecast and trying to notify your neighbours 24 hours ahead.
Timing:
Light no earlier than one hour after sunrise. The burn must be finished within two days.
Day limits:
On properties under 64 hectares, you can burn on no more than 12 days a year and 6 days a month.
If your fire escapes, you pay. If your fire causes or contributes to a wildfire, you can be held responsible for all firefighting costs. You can also be fined up to $1,000,000 and face jail time. Breaking a fire prohibition can bring a fine of up to $1,150. On Cortes, fighting an escaped fire can mean bringing in BCWS aircraft and crews, and the bill can be very large.
This summary is a guideline only.
Read the full rules:
BC Wildfire Service Category 2 Open Fire poster
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/wildfire-status/fire-bans-and-restrictions/category-2-open-fire-poster.pdf
Open burning regulations
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status/prevention/fire-bans-and-restrictions/open-burning
Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation fact sheet
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/air-land-water/air/factsheets/obscr_general_factsheet.pdf
Full Open Burning Smoke Control Regulations
https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/lc/statreg/152_2019
Venting index map
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6d288bc667b24528a5c1e3b4c0373d07¢er=1185577.1624%2C423985.7469%2C102190&scale=1155581.153
Report a wildfire by calling 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on a cell phone, or by dialing 911
What counts as a Category 2 fire? A Category 2 fire is any one of these:
one pile no larger than 2 m high by 3 m wide
two piles burning at once, each no larger than 2 m by 3 m
stubble or grass over no more than 0.2 hectares
Anything bigger is a Category 3 fire. Category 3 fires have stricter rules and need a burn registration number.
BC Wildfire Service requirements
Keep a fuel break around each pile.
Have enough water or other firefighting equipment at the burn site.
At least one person with a firefighting hand tool must watch the fire the whole time. Never leave it unattended, even for a moment.
Put the fire out completely and make sure the ashes are cold to the touch before you leave.
Don't burn when venting conditions are poor or fair.
Smoke rules:
Cortes is a high smoke-sensitivity zone. The Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation applies to vegetative debris thicker than 3 cm.
Material:
Burn clean vegetation only. Never burn plastics, treated or painted wood, construction waste, tires or garbage.
Debris 3 to 10 cm thick: Burn it within 5 km of where it was cut.
Debris over 10 cm thick must meet the full rules:
Seasoned debris:
Burn only seasoned (cured) vegetation. Seasoned means it has been piled for at least 4 months, has a moisture content of 30% or less, or came from standing dead trees. In a high smoke-sensitivity zone like Cortes, seasoned debris is required if you use the reduced setbacks or if the burn runs over two days. Green material smoulders and makes far more smoke.
Venting:
The forecast must be "Good". Check the venting index map at https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6d288bc667b24528a5c1e3b4c0373d07¢er=1185577.1624%2C423985.7469%2C102190&scale=1155581.153 or call 1-888-281-2992.
Setbacks:
Stay at least 500 m from neighbouring homes and businesses, and 1,000 m from schools and hospitals. Those distances drop to 100 m and 500 m only if you meet extra conditions, including seasoned debris, a "Good" venting forecast and trying to notify your neighbours 24 hours ahead.
Timing:
Light no earlier than one hour after sunrise. The burn must be finished within two days.
Day limits:
On properties under 64 hectares, you can burn on no more than 12 days a year and 6 days a month.
If your fire escapes, you pay. If your fire causes or contributes to a wildfire, you can be held responsible for all firefighting costs. You can also be fined up to $1,000,000 and face jail time. Breaking a fire prohibition can bring a fine of up to $1,150. On Cortes, fighting an escaped fire can mean bringing in BCWS aircraft and crews, and the bill can be very large.
This summary is a guideline only.
Read the full rules:
BC Wildfire Service Category 2 Open Fire poster
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/wildfire-status/fire-bans-and-restrictions/category-2-open-fire-poster.pdf
Open burning regulations
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status/prevention/fire-bans-and-restrictions/open-burning
Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation fact sheet
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/air-land-water/air/factsheets/obscr_general_factsheet.pdf
Full Open Burning Smoke Control Regulations
https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/lc/statreg/152_2019
Venting index map
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6d288bc667b24528a5c1e3b4c0373d07¢er=1185577.1624%2C423985.7469%2C102190&scale=1155581.153
Report a wildfire by calling 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on a cell phone, or by dialing 911