Dry weather prompts B.C. campfire ban

Fire officials are banning campfires in the southern coastal region, the Okanagan, theThompson-Nicola region, and parts of the Cariboo as parts of B.C. continue to experience record-breaking hot and dry conditions this summer.

Effective at noon today, the B.C. Wildfire Management Branch is banning all open firesand campfires inB.C. parks as well ason Crown and private land in the southern portions of the Coastal Fire Centre, which encompassed all of Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley up to the Whistler and Pemberton areas, the Sunshine Coast, and parts of the Central Coast.

A campfire ban is also going into effectat noon forthe southern portion of the Cariboo Fire Centre, and across the Kamloops Fire Centre, whichincludesthe areas around Lillooet, Clearwater, Salmon Arm, Vernon and Merritt.

The Central Okanagan and the Okanagan-Similkameen regional districts are also banning campfires today.

Open fire bans are in already in effect for much of southern B.C.

Fire information officer Melissa Welsh says the campfire bans apply to fires, industrial burning, fireworks, tiki torches, sky lanterns and burning barrels, but does not include cooking on propane stoves or with briquettes.

"Any kind of fire pit that is at a campsite, if you are burning wood, those apparatus are prohibited during the campfire ban," she said.

The Wildfire Management Branch says a third of the fires it hasresponded to this year were caused by humans.

Breaking the ban can result in a $345 ticket. Causing a wildfire, whether by arson or recklessness, can lead to a $1-million fine and three years in jail, in addition to footing the firefighting bill.

The campfire ban is expected to continue until Oct. 15.

Sunniest month for Vancouver

Conditions have been especially dry in Vancouver, whichhad a rain-free July. It was the driest month on record and the only calendar month with no rainrecorded.

Vancouver also surpassed its previous record for sunniest month after racking up about 400 hours of sunshine in July.

According to Environment Canada, Vancouver's previous record for the sunniest month was set in July of 1985.

Read more aboutextreme weather recordsset across Canada this July.