Campfires will once again be allowed within the Coastal Fire Centre and on Thetis Island.
Tiki torches, outdoor stoves, gas stoves and portable campfire equipment can also be used.
However the use of fireworks (including firecrackers), sky lanterns, binary exploding targets and burn barrels or burn cages are prohibited. Category 2 and Category 3 open fires are also banned at this time.
A Category 2 open fire is an open fire, excluding a campfire, that burns piled material no larger than two metres high and three metres wide, or grass over an area less than 0.2 hectares (2000 square metres) in size. A Category 3 open fire is a fire that burns material in piles larger than two metres high and three metres wide, windrows, or grass over an larger than 0.2 hectares (2000 square metres) in size.
Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150. They may also be required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the responsible party may be ordered to pay. The BC Wildfire Service and the Thetis Island Fire Dept. Are also reminding people that some parts of southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands have received little rainfall. Monday's rainfall on Thetis ranged from one to two millimetres across the island and in many places the forest understory did not get wet.
Campfires with permits are once again being allowed at this time because the TIVFD relies upon the community's awareness of the regulations and safety precautions for evening Campfires.
Those who are lighting a campfire after obtaining an on-line permit at www.thetisislandfire.ca should remember to:
Select the campfire site carefully and remove all leaves, twigs and other flammable material from the area.
Create a fire break by scraping away debris right down to the dirt all around the fire.
Use a fire pit or put a ring of rocks around the campfire site that is at least three metres away from trees, shrubs, structures and other flammable materials.
Campfires must not be bigger than a half-metre wide and a half-metre high.
Never leave a campfire unattended.
Keep at least eight litres of water or a shovel close by at all times to extinguish the campfire properly.
Make sure that the campfire is completely extinguished before going to sleep. Ensure that the fire is completely extinguished and the ashes are cold to the touch before leaving the area for any length of time.
Thank you for keeping our Island safe this summer. We had an unprecedented run of EXTREME Hazard weather and with your assistance and vigilance we had only a few near-misses for wildfire. Open fire yard waste burn piles are still prohibited.
TIVFD
Saturday, September 23, 2017 at 10:52AM 
