Time for the start of the annual fire ban.
Effective at noon Friday, Category 2 open burns will be prohibited throughout the Coastal Fire Centre's jurisdiction, with the exception of the Haida Gwaii Natural Resource District and the "Fog Zone".
The Fog Zone is a two-kilometre strip of land along the outer coast of Vancouver Island, stretching from Owen Point (near Port Renfrew) north to the tip of Vancouver Island and around to the boundary of the District of Port Hardy. This strip extends inland two kilometres from the high-tide point.
A Category 2 prohibition applies to the burning of small piles of material, stubble or grass fires, use of fireworks, firecrackers, sky lanterns and burning barrels, and the use of exploding targets for rifle target practice.