With the passing of an updated By-law by Council on February 26th, open-air burning must now be approved by the local Saugeen Shores Fire Service.
Open burns that may occur outside of the urban area, such as large property or farm owners, must now require a no-fee permit and be inspected by a Fire Prevention Officer or Inspector.
In addition, cooking fires, propane cooking appliances such as BBQs, wood burning appliances such as chimineas, small recreational fires that burn clean wood and small campground fires are exempt Specific definitions and conditions on exempt fires have been clarified to remove any ambiguity on how and when to conduct an open-air or exempt fire.
The By-law defines what can be burned, where it can be burned, time of day, fire safety and environmental limitations that would preclude burning.
Environmental considerations have also been considered and addressed in the update By-law to limit burning during Smog, Forest Fire smoke, heat advisories, and winds of more than 22 km/hr. “This should have the effect of reducing emissions within the community and community wellness complaints due to smoke caused by poor environmental conditions,” said Fire Chief Ed Melanson.
At present, residents of the municipality can file a complaint by calling the By-law Enforcement Officer.