By Angela Cowan/B次元官网网址 staff
Just because it rains, it doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean itB次元官网网址檚 safe to burn, said Metchosin Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop.
Open burning has been closed since May in the district, but the Metchosin Fire Department has already dealt with four sizeable brush fires this summer, as well as a number of beach fire and outdoor burning complications.
B次元官网网址淭he biggest trouble is when it rains a little bit, and people think itB次元官网网址檚 okay to burn,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淧eople need to realize rain doesnB次元官网网址檛 make it safe to burn again. Not the amount we have, and then the winds dry it out very quickly too.B次元官网网址�
Beach fires are still permitted, provided theyB次元官网网址檙e no bigger than two feet around and out by midnight. No beach fires are allowed on any CRD beach at any time.
B次元官网网址淏ring your own firewood, no bigger than youB次元官网网址檇 put in your fireplace. Bring a bucket, and make sure the fire is completely extinguished,B次元官网网址� said Dunlop. DonB次元官网网址檛 burn the big logs on the beach, as the fire can keep burning for hours unseen, she said, and donB次元官网网址檛 burn pallets.
B次元官网网址淎ll that does is leave nails for little kids to walk on in the morning.B次元官网网址�
Next door in Colwood, all burning is prohibited now, including campfires, beach fires and construction waste fires, and there are no fires permitted at Esquimalt Lagoon, or in any city parks.
Insp. John Cassidy, assistant chief for the Colwood Fire Department, also cautioned that contained outdoor burning appliances, such as chimineyas, are not permitted when the fire rating is high or extreme.
B次元官网网址淓nforcement is stepping up for the summer and we will find and charge people,B次元官网网址� he said.
As the weather continues to heat up, even the few areas that allow campfires and beach fires are likely to dwindle.
Dunlop stressed that if people want to have a fire, they need to call ahead and make sure they know the regulations.
The fire department is always happy to answer questions. Above all, she said, the important thing is to use your common sense when burning.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 definitely hot and dry out there, so be careful.B次元官网网址�
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
