The City of Penticton has announced a temporary fire ban will go into effect at noon Friday.

The City of Penticton issued a news release late Thursday afternoon saying the community is currently experiencing hot and dry conditions and fire danger ratings are generally “high” or “extreme” throughout the City.

The temporary fire ban goes into effect at noon Friday and will remain in place until further notice and includes all open burning, including campfires. Fireworks will be also prohibited within the boundaries of the City of Penticton during the ban.

Photo Credit: File PhotoThe City of Penticton announced Thursday afternoon that a temporary fire ban will go into effect noon Friday and will continue until further notice. The ban prohibits campfires, burning of waste and grass and use of fireworks, plus much more.

Prohibited activities once the temporary ban takes effect will include:

– Campfires, as defined in the wildfire regulation: www.gov.bc.ca/wildfirelegislation

– Burning of waste or other materials

– Stubble or grass fires of any size over any area

– Use of fireworks, sky lanterns, tiki torches, chimineas, burning barrels or burning cages of any size or description

– Use of binary exploding targets (e.g., for target practice)

– Use of air curtain burners (forced air burning systems)

This open burning ban will remain in effect to protect public safety and to limit the risk of human-caused wildfires, said the news release.

Photo Credit: File PhotoA temporary fire ban goes into effect across the City of Penticton Friday at noon and will remain in place until further notice.

“This ban does not restrict fires in cooking stoves using gas, propane or briquettes, or to a portable campfire apparatus with a CSA or ULC rating (providing the flame height does not exceed 15 centimetres) but does restrict fires in portable wood-burning fireplaces and campfires,” said the release.

The City of Penticton beach firepits won't be used and will be decommissioned for the duration of this temporary fire ban.

Anyone found in violation of an open fire ban, including campfires or backyard fires, may be fined.

Anyone who causes a wildfire through arson or recklessness may also be fined up to $1 million, spend up to three years in prison and be held accountable for associated firefighting costs.

The City of Penticton thanks the public in advance for its co-operation in complying with this temporary ban.