People received more than $100,000 in fines for violating campfire bans this summer in B.C., according to officials. The province says that during weekend patrols between July 1 and Sept. 9, conservation officers issued 98 tickets, the fines totaling $112,700. The majority of tickets handed out were in the South Coast, including the Sea to Sky corridor and the Lower Mainland. The government says the Squamish area was “the hot spot” for illegal campfires this summer, where 32 tickets were issued totaling $36,800 in fines. Campfires are allowed again, but B.C. Wildfire Service maintains category 2 and 3 open fire bans in the Kamloops and Cariboo fire centres and parts of the Coastal Fire Centre. On Tuesday, 102 wildfires remained active in B.C., and four of them were out of control. While rain and cooler temperatures arrived and helped moderate fire behaviour, the BCWS warned that conditions are drier than normal, particularly in central and southern areas of the province. The fall seasonal outlook issued Monday says there is potential for higher than normal fire activity later this fall, and warmer and drier winter conditions that could effect drought and snowpack levels. “Low snowpack and underlying drought are a concern for the spring and summer of 2027. However, it remains to be seen how other relevant weather factors that help determine the severity of the fire season, namely precipitation levels and drying patterns into summer months, will materialize,” the outlook reads. “With El Niño intensifying over the winter, coastal regions may see more precipitation while Interior regions could see warm, dry conditions and a low winter snowpack as well as a low likelihood that regions experiencing drought will recover ahead of the 2027 fire season.” Officials urged British Columbians to remain vigilant with open fires heading into the fall, noting the potential for increased wildfire activity in October.
