Campfire ban lifted from May 15 at noon through May 19 at noon
The District of Squamish will temporarily rescind the Category 1 campfire ban for a period of five days, beginning at noon on Friday, May 15, 2026.
This is a result of cooler temperatures and a decreased wildfire risk and follows suit with Coastal Fire Centre measures.
This is a temporary, five-day suspension. The campfire ban is scheduled to be reinstated on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at noon.
Category 2 and Category 3 open burning will remain prohibited.
The Category 1 campfire prohibition was initially implemented due to a combination of elevated wildfire risk factors, including:
- Prolonged hot and dry conditions;
- Rising fire weather indices;
- Elevated incidence of human-caused wildfires; and
- Early season operational capacity.
Current and forecast conditions have since shifted, bringing cooler temperatures, improved humidity values and an overall reduction in wildfire hazard throughout the Coastal Fire Centre area. Because of this, Category 1 campfires will be once again permitted under the Coastal Fire Centre jurisdiction and temporarily for five days, in the District of Squamish.
Anyone choosing to light a Category 1 campfire must do so responsibly and in accordance with Section 20 of the Wildfire Regulation:
- Do not burn in windy conditions
- Establish and maintain a fuel break
- Do not leave the fire unattended
- Ensure the fire is fully extinguished before leaving the area
- Carry out fire control immediately and/or report the fire if it spreads beyond the established fuel break
Category 2 and Category 3 open fires remain prohibited throughout the Coastal Fire Centre's jurisdiction in addition to the following activities and equipment:
- Fireworks (Fireworks Act);
- Binary exploding targets;
- Burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description;
- Controlled air incinerators
- Air curtain burners; and
- Carbonizers.
All campfires within the DoS require a permit and are required to comply with the provisions outlined in that permit.
For more information, go to squamish.ca/fire-permit.
May 13, 2026