Annual Category 3 fire ban coming to Southern Interior – Okanagan [Video]

The Southern Interior will soon join two other B.C. regions in having earlier-than-normal fire bans.

On Wednesday, the BC Wildfire Service announced that Category 3 fires will soon be prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre.

The ban will begin on Friday, May 3 at noon, and will be in effect until Oct. 11, or until it’s rescinded.

“This prohibition is being enacted to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety,” said BCWS.

A Category 3 fire is a large fire consisting of either big piles of brush or stubble or grass that exceeds 0.2 of a hectare (half an acre).

The prohibition applies to all public and private lands throughout the region, unless specified by local government.

In 2022, Category 3 fires were banned in the Southern Interior on June 30. And last year, open burning bans began on May 18.

Last month, Category 2 and 3 open fires were banned …