Dear Editor:
I've had it with trying to camp in B.C. I've just cancelled two trips that we had booked. From now on, we camp in Washington state. It seems that every summer now the Ministry of Forests bans campfires as soon as we have six consecutive sunny days. It's ridiculous. And they don't lift them even when it rains (like today), because apparently it's too much of a chore to rescind them.
I haven't researched it but I can't believe a forest fire has ever been caused by a small campfire in a campground in a steel fire ring surrounded by gravel and pavement and campers with running water. If so, Rathtrevor, Alice Lake, Cultus Lake etc. would have burned to the ground decades ago.
Info for those who don't camp: no campfire pretty much ruins the trip. Go sit outside and freeze in the dark! Huge fun. Even the dog would rather be at home.
I also think it's a rip-off to not refund campers when they cancel due to the campfire ban, I'm only getting back $38 of the $88 I paid to book two nights at Porteau Cove. What a racket; ruin our trip with a knee-jerk campfire ban and then charge me 50 bucks to cancel the trip.
Brock Bishop
North Vancouver
Editor's note: The Coastal Fire Centre lifted its campfire ban earlier this week due to forecasted cool and rainy weather conditions. The long-term forecast, however, is for a return to hot and dry conditions after the weekend, which will likely result in the reintroduction of a campfire ban prior to the August long weekend.
