If you’re going to have a beach party in Delta this summer, it’s going to be without a bonfire, unless you’re lucky enough to get one of the four designated fire rings at Centennial Beach.
Open fires such as campfires, bonfires or beach fires are banned everywhere else in Delta, year-round.
Delta Fire and Emergency Services is trying to get out the message that burning of any kind is not allowed by having firefighters regularly visit Tsawwassen Beach, as well as the Hwy. 17 causeway that leads to the BC Ferries terminal.
Deputy Chief Dave Wood says the task is the same every year, educating high school grads, newcomers, visitors or long-time residents that beach bonfires are not allowed at any time. In fact, open burning such as campfires, cooking fires, slash burning or any kind of open flames, are not allowed – anywhere in Metro Vancouver.
“There are no open burning or beach fires allowed in Delta, at any time of the year,” Wood said. “Hopefully, the message will get out. There are never any open fires.”
The designated fire rings on Centennial Beach are available on a first-come, first-served basis but those also will be closed if conditions get too hazardous.
Wood said that last Saturday (June 22), 15 bonfires were spotted on both sides of the causeway to the ferry terminal.
Often, people will extinguish the fires themselves, but sometimes people take off, leaving firefighters to put out the blaze.
And every evening, the fire department also checks with BC Ferries to ensure the area is clear. BC Ferries controls access to the boat launch and opens the road from sunrise to sunset.
Instead of handing out tickets under a city bylaw, firefighters just tell people that beach fires are not allowed. Period.
“At this point, it’s all just education,” he said.
Wood added that when motorists pass by and see those fires on the beach, they also think that bonfires are allowed. Signs have been posted however advising that beach fires are not allowed.
“It’s ongoing, but once the word is out, people will understand that it won’t be tolerated. We’ll be there every night looking for fires to ensure everyone’s safe,” Wood said.
Firefighters started their first patrols in early May as the weather warmed up. The further summer goes on, and the hotter it gets, the more the fire department will be getting out the word.
“With our climate now and everyone is on high alert … and the fire danger rating starts to climb, we want to make sure that we’re ahead of it,” he said.
So far this year, with a relatively wet spring, the fire-danger rating remains at low in Delta.
But fire conditions can change quickly with just a few weeks of hot weather.
“So far so good. If we get a couple weeks of nice sunshine and a week of rain, that wouldn’t be a bad thing,” Wood said.
Once the fire danger rating gets to high and extreme, they’ll also start patrolling parks.
A/Insp. James Sandberg said Delta Police also deal with the issue every year but they’ll only respond if they get a complaint, such as along Tsawwassen Beach near Point Roberts, while they also help clarify if the fires are taking place in Delta or Tsawwassen First Nation.
