Image: Nickrh/Dreamstime.com / As a result of fall-like conditions, widespread rain throughout the Lower Mainland and a reduced fire danger rating, open fire burning that complies with certain size restrictions will be permitted starting this week in Chilliwack, Abbotsford and the rest of the Fraser Valley.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Fire bans lifted

Coastal Fire rescinds open fire bans

Sep 17, 2024 | 6:15 PM

CHILLIWACK — As a result of fall-like conditions, widespread rain throughout the Lower Mainland and a reduced fire danger rating, open fire burning that complies with certain size restrictions will be permitted starting this week in Chilliwack, Abbotsford and the rest of the Fraser Valley.

The Coastal Fire Centre announced Tuesday (Sept. 17) that category 2 and 3 open fire bans will be lifted in its jurisdiction starting at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 18.

Other activities which were previously banned, but will now be permitted include:

• The use of tiki and similar kinds of torches
• The use of chimineas
• The use of outdoor stoves or other portable campfire apparatus without a Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or Underwriter Laboratories of Canada (ULC) rating
• Fireworks, including firecrackers
• Sky lanterns
• Binary exploding targets
• Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description
• Air curtain burners

Category 2 open fires which means an open fire, other than a campfire, that:

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• burns material in one pile not exceeding 2 m in height and 3 m in width,
• burns material concurrently in 2 piles each not exceeding 2 m in height and 3 m in width, or
• burns stubble or grass over an area that does not exceed 0.2 ha.

Category 3 open fire refers to an open fire with the following parameters:

• material concurrently in 3 or more piles each not exceeding 2 m in height and 3 m in width,
• material in one or more piles each exceeding 2 m in height or 3 m in width,
• one or more windrows, or
• stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 ha.