Campfires will be banned throughout the Southeast Fire Centre as of noon Thursday and until further notice.
The region is experiencing hot and dry conditions. The fire danger rating is moderate in some areas, with larger areas rated high and extreme. Forest fuels are drying out quickly, and hot weather and dry lightning are in the forecast, the fire centre said in a news release.
This prohibition applies to all public and private land. Also prohibited are the use of outdoor stoves, chimneys, air curtain burners, sky lanterns, fireworks, firecrackers, burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description, the use of tiki torches, and binary exploding targets used for rifle target practice.
These prohibitions do not apply to CSA-rated or ULC-rated cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to a portable campfire apparatus that uses briquettes, liquid or gas, so long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.
Prohibitions on larger Category 2 and Category 3 open fires remain in effect.