Open burning season is underway

It’s open burning season in the Central Okanagan, which continues until Saturday, April 30.

Until then, when conditions allow, all eligible property owners, farmers and other large lot owners with permits from their local fire jurisdiction may burn specific wood debris outdoors. As well, they must follow the BC Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation.

Property owners must use Best Burning Practices and call the toll-free Outdoor Burning Hotline: 1-855-262-2876 (BURN) before lighting any fire to ensure that open burning is allowed. Both the Venting and Air Quality must be good in order for burning to occur within the Central Okanagan. A link to this Outdoor Burning information is also available each morning after 8 a.m. at rdco.com/airquality.

When open burning is allowed, the Central Okanagan Air Quality program recommends that debris piles should be ignited after 10 a.m., when proper venting conditions are more likely. Permit holders are required to continually supervise any burning piles and have the proper fire extinguishing equipment and tools on hand to prevent any fire from spreading.

Under the Regional District Smoke Control Bylaw, creating nuisance smoke from open burning is not allowed in the City of Kelowna, the District of Lake Country, City of West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, the Central Okanagan East and West Electoral Areas or under the bylaws of the District of Peachland.

Violators could receive a fine or be charged with the cost of putting out the fire. Residents may report illegal burning on a non-burning day by calling the Regional Fire Dispatch Center at 250-469-8577.

All Central Okanagan property owners, regardless of property size are encouraged to use other options to dispose of their wood debris and yard waste including the bi-weekly curbside collection, the agricultural chipping program, the Mow-Chip-Rent-it rebate program and year-round disposal at the Glenmore landfill and Westside Residential Waste Disposal and Recycling Centre (fees apply).