As of July 1, campfires must be smaller than 0.5 metres in height and in diameter, according to new regulations handed down by the Ministry of Forests and Range. Previously, restrictions stated fires could be up to one metre by one metre in size.
The regulations apply to locations where a burn bylaw is not already in place, so outside regional districts and municipalities, but within provincial parks and on Crown Land.
Not everyone agrees with the new rules, as was evidenced during the Squamish Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) meeting Monday (June 28).
During the meeting, Electoral Area B Director Mickey Macri proposed sending a letter to the ministry commending the changes, saying they were "much-welcomed" measures that should help reduce the number of human-caused fires, while eliminating grey areas in the legislation and giving teeth to enforcement.
Last summer, the SLRD was among the areas of the province plagued by wildfires. Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell said in the statement that more than 850 fires were caused by "careless human behaviour" in 2009.
But SLRD director and Pemberton Mayor Jordan Sturdy questioned where there is "any evidence at all that this is going to have any effect," saying the restriction would make for very small campfires.
"Anybody who has a fire will be out of compliance," he said.
He added that the restrictions seem to be "more Big Brother" and said lightning caused many of last year's fires, causing Macri to react with exasperation.
Electoral Area C Director Susan Gimse said she thinks other parts of the new regulations, which require campers to scrape the area around their fires down to dirt and clear away possibly flammable materials to create a guard, will "make a huge difference."
Macri also pointed to the requirement that a shovel or at least eight litres of water must be kept near a fire to put it out was a laudable rule.
The provincial statement said crews have responded to 310 fires in B.C. since April 1, and 260 of those were caused by people. The Wildfire Management Branch's 10-year average figures, not including 2009 statistics, show an average of 1,848 fires per year, 42.6 per cent caused by people and 57.4 per cent caused by lightning.
