All across the northeastern region, there is a fire ban for most communities.
It has been 19 days since the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry implemented a burn ban all across the region.
That includes Sault Ste. Marie, but apparently not everyone there is following the rules.
Since the fire ban has been in place, the Sault Ste. Marie Fire Department has caught many people ignoring it.
Aaron Gravelle is a public education and information officer with Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services.
"We haven't charged anybody yet. We've given out 15 suspensions. Mostly it was small campfires, people cooking and burning, having a wood stove outside and they didn't realize, they can't burn when that happens. So, we treat it as an educational moment, give them the suspension, and if it happens again we have to proceed with charges." said Gravelle.
Those who receive a suspension are not allowed to have a backyard fire for 90 days.
Gravelle says out of the 15 suspensions, some have come from burning complaints from neighbours, but others have come from homeowners themselves.
"Sometimes it’s the actual homeowner calling in and saying ‘I've started a small grass fire’ or something's happened and they've had to call us." said Gravelle.
The public education officer says recently, the fire department has been called out to put out grass fires as a result of people throwing their cigarette butts into a garden.
He says everyone needs to be more careful during this dry season.
Link to original article in CTV News Northern Ontario: Some are ignoring the fire ban