There wasn’t much discussion among councillors Monday night when they were faced with the question of whether or not to ban the sale of flying lanterns in Stratford.
During a meeting of the standing committee on infrastructure, transportation, and safety, Stratford fire chief John Paradis reiterated his fire safety concerns over the small, paper, hot-air balloons, fueled by an open flame.
After receiving a call last Canada Day about an incident involving a flying lantern landing on a resident’s deck, Paradis said fire department management searched through department records for other incidents involving the popular party novelty.
“We found quite a few reports of people finding remnants in their backyards. There was one occurrence in the past of one landing in a tree… and one time on a roof where the homeowner managed to put it out as well,” Paradis said.
“So when we started to look at that, we found (this issue to be) fairly significant.”
Paradis also pointed out that Stratford council had sent a letter of support to the City of Kenora when it lobbied the government for a flying lantern ban back in 2013.
Seemingly in agreement with the fire chief’s concern over the matter, the standing committee voted unanimously to include a ban on the sale of the lantern in the city’s fireworks bylaw.
Council will likely ratify the bylaw amendment at its next meeting on Sept. 24.
Link to original article in The Beacon Herald: City on track to ban sale of flying lanterns