Rural folks should think twice about burning grass or brush without a permit or they might get burned — in the pocketbook.
The Ministry of Natural Resources on Friday highlighted the case of two Cochrane-area men who have each been fined $1,100 for starting a grass fire this spring.
According to a provincial news release, on April 25 Thomas Mann and Bruce Mann lit up a grass fire at a rural home in Brower Township that had to be extinguished by provincial fire rangers.
"Conservation officers investigated the cause of the fire and determined that both (men) were responsible for starting it," the news release said.
The pair later pleaded guilty to burning grass without a permit under Ontario's Forest Fire Prevention Act, the release said.
Under the act, violators can be fined up to $25,000 and sentenced to three months in jail in certain cases.
A similar fire that occurred this spring at a Neebing property had to be put out by municipal firefighters. It wasn't immediately known if that incident resulted in any charges.
A ministry spokesman said it wasn't known on Friday how many people have been fined or ticketed so far in Ontario this year for starting fires illegally.
Meanwhile, conditions remain dry in rural areas near Thunder Bay.
Nolalu fire Chief Sarah Shoemaker said she has given warnings to residents over the years about illegal burning; but not tickets, since Nolalu is not an incorporated municipality.
Still, Shoemaker said, provincial conservation officers, "have laid several (charges) in our area over the years."
"We've had some rain, which has lowered the immediate (fire) risk to low," Shoemaker added.
"However, it hasn't done much for the long term outlook, as we are significantly below normal water levels."