Fire

Campfire Bans Lifted in Most Strathcona Regional District Areas

Notice level: Low
Updated:

The Coastal Fire Centre is lifting its campfire ban, and several local fire service areas within the Strathcona Regional District are following suit due to changing weather conditions and a reduction in wildfire risk.

Effective 12:00 pm on Friday, May 15, 2026, campfires will once again be permitted in the following areas:

  • All of Electoral Area A (Kyuquot/Nootka–Sayward)
  • All of Electoral Area B (Cortes Island)
  • All of Electoral Area C (Quadra & Discovery Islands)
    • Please note: beach fires remain prohibited year-round within the South Quadra Island Improvement District.
  • All of Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay / Buttle Lake), except within the Black Creek / Oyster Bay Fire Protection Local Area, which is the area serviced by the Oyster River Fire Department (ORFD) - see ORFD service area map>.
  • City of Campbell River
  • Village of Sayward
  • Village of Tahsis
  •  Village of Zeballos

Campfires, backyard fires, and beach fires will remain prohibited in the following areas:

  • Black Creek / Oyster Bay Fire Protection Local Area, which is the area serviced by the Oyster River Fire Department (ORFD) - see ORFD service area map>
  • Village of Gold River
  • South Quadra Island Improvement District (beach fires remain prohibited)

Please note that Category 2 and Category 3 fires — any fire larger than 0.5 metres by 0.5 metres — remain prohibited throughout the Coastal Fire Centre jurisdiction.

Although the campfire ban has been lifted in many areas, residents are encouraged to continue exercising caution and diligence when using campfires. Fires should never be left unattended, and anyone lighting a fire must have appropriate tools or water available to fully extinguish it.

Residents should always check current local and provincial fire restrictions before lighting any fire.

To stay informed, learn more about fire restrictions, or determine which fire protection area you reside in, please visit: www.srd.ca/fire-protection.

About SRD's Fire Service

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) provides fire services across three areas:

  • A portion of Electoral Area A (Sayward Valley) through a contract with the Village of Sayward
  • A portion of Electoral Area B (Cortes Island) through a contract with the Cortes Island Fire Fighting Association
  • A portion of Electoral Area D through a contract with the City of Campbell River.  

The City of Campbell River and the Villages of Tahsis, Zeballos, Sayward and Gold River each have their own fire department providing services within the municipal boundary.  

The Quadra Island Fire Department provides fire services to the southern portion of Quadra Island.

Interactive Fire Services Map 

Fire Bans and Restrictions

The following Electoral Areas in the Strathcona Regional District reside under provincial legislation (BC Wildfire Act) because the SRD does not have a bylaw for these areas that speaks to the lighting and open fire:

  • All of Electoral Area A (Sayward Valley)
  • All of Electoral Area B (Cortes Island)
  • Electoral Area C (Quadra and Discovery Islands), except the area within the Quadra Island Improvement District
  • Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay / Buttle Lake), except for the area within the Black Creek / Oyster Bay Fire Protection Local Area

To learn more about or view current bans and restrictions for these areas:

Electoral Area C - Quadra Island Improvement District

The Quadra Island Fire Department provides fire services to a southern portion of Quadra Island located in the Quadra Island Improvement District as well as areas under the jurisdiction of We Wai Kai Fist Nation through a contractual arrangement. You can find current fire bans and restrictions for this area at on Quadra Island Fire Department’s website or by following them on Facebook.

Electoral Area D – Black Creek / Oyster Bay Fire Protections Local Area

In the Black Creek / Oyster Bay Fire Protection Local Area, where authority for operating fire protection service was assigned by letters patent to the Comox Valley Regional District on February 15, 2008, that also included the authority to regulate open burning. You can find current fire bans and restrictions for this area at on Oyster River Fire’s website. To report a burning violation, contact the Oyster River Fire Department’s Duty Officer at 250-830-7155.

Other Community Fire Bans and Restrictions

Current fire bans and restrictions for each community are listed on their websites or Facebook pages, please see links below. 

FireSmart

Thanks to funding from the Union of BC Municipalities’ (UBCM) Community Resiliency Investment Program, the SRD has hired a Wild Risk Reduction Coordinator to support FireSmart Initiatives. The coordinator works to increase wildfire resiliency across the SRD, including educating the public on wildfire risk.

If you are interested in a free FireSmart Home Assessment, please contact the Wildfire Risk Reduction Coordinator at wrr@srd.ca or 250-914-9234.

FireSmart Rebate Program

Strathcona Regional District also offers a FireSmart Rebate Program in several communities. Rebates provide financial support to homeowners who undertake FireSmart work on their properties. To learn more, visit the FireSmart Rebate Program page. 

FireSmart Rebate Program

FireSmart and Wildfire Preparedness: Virtual Information Sessions

The Wildfire Risk Reduction Coordinator holds public education sessions of wildfire and FireSmart initiatives. Based on feedback from residents, the SRD held two such information sessions virtually, for those who were unable to attend in person. 

These sessions included:

  • FireSmart Principals to Increase Your Home’s Survivability from Wildfire
  • Community Wildfire Protection Plans / Community Wildfire Resiliency Plans
  • Emergency Notifications – Alertable, Evacuation Alerts and Orders
  • Emergency Support Services
  • Wildfire Season Outlook

Watch the session:

FireSmart Resources

Wildfire Plans and Maps

Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) assists the SRD with reducing and assessing the risk of wildfire to communities in the region.

The purpose of a CWPP is:

  • to identify the wildfire risks within and surrounding a community
  • to describe the potential consequences if a wildfire were to impact the community
  • to examine possible ways to reduce the wildfire

A CWPP has two major components: reporting and maps. The reporting component deals with the community, the goals of the plan, and assessed wildfire risks. The maps will outline the community, land ownership, hazards and treatment areas.

Watch a video about your community's wildfire plan.

SRD Community Wildfire Plans and Maps