The Central Okanagan climate often sees hot, dry summers which increases the risk of interface fires. This is why we have bylaws restricting outdoor fires from May 1 to October, and why we encourage homeowners to take precautions to make their home “fire smart.”
Campfires
Please check the following links to see if campfires or fire pits are permitted in your area:
- BC Wildfire Service: Fire Bans and Restrictions
- City of Kelowna
- City of West Kelowna
- District of Lake Country
- District of Peachland
- Westbank First Nation
Fire Prevention & Regulations Bylaw No. 1066 [link to: bylaw no. 1066] - Applicable to electoral areas only
British Columbia campfire regulations pdf.
Report a wildfire
Check BC Wildfire Services' page on Active Wildfires.
Report a wildfire (or behaviour which could start a wildfire) by calling 1-800-663-5555 (or *5555 from a mobile phone). Learn more about reporting on the BC Report a Wildfire webpage.
Protecting your home from interface fires
What is an interface fire?
Homes that are next to forests or grasslands are called interface areas, and are potentially at risk from interface wildfires. Residents in these areas should take steps to minimize the risk to them and their property.
The first thing is to ensure you have adequate fire insurance, not only for your home, but also for any outbuildings or structures like private bridges.
Some simple steps to take immediately include:
- Move any firewood, building materials, debris piles or other flammable materials at least 10 metres (approximately 30 feet) from structures
- Ensure gutters are clear of any leaves or debris that might allow hot embers to take hold on your roof
- Thin any brush or trees within 30 metres (approximately 100 feet) of your structure, and remove any dead grass or debris from this zone
- On sloped ground, extend these distances, to allow for wildfire's tendency to burn upslope
- Prune trees near your structures, removing lower branches from trees to a height of 2.5 metres (approximately 8 feet) from the ground
- Remove and dispose of any logs, needles, twigs, dead grass and weeds, and shrubs that encourage fire to spread along the ground
For information on longer term steps you can take to minimize your vulnerability to wildfires, contact your nearest Ministry of Forest office.
Fire protection links
- BC Hydro: safety in Emergencies
- BC Fire Chiefs' Association of BC
- BC Fire Training Officers Association
- BC Wildfire Management Program
- BC Wildfire Service
- Fire Prevention Officers' Association of BC
- FireSmart Canada
- FireSmart Begins at Home Manual
- Firewise Landscaping and Construction Checklist
- Fortis BC: Forest Fire Safety for Electricity and Natural Gas
- Government of Canada – Wildfires
- Interior Health webpage – Wildfires
- Interior Health: Living with Smoky Skies (pdf)
- Interior Health: Helping kids cope with fire threat (pdf)
- Public Safety Canada's Emergency Preparedness Guide
- Wildfire Hazard Reduction: residential construction and landscaping recommendations
Other safety links
- Emergency Management BC: Carbon Monoxide Safety
- Emergency Management BC: Natural Gas Safety
- Emergency Management BC: Propane Gas Safety
- Fire Prevention Officers' Association of BC: Smoke Alarms
- Fire Prevention Officers' Association of BC: Videos