Sault cracks down on outdoor fires

Starting a toasty bonfire in your backyard without an open-air burning permit could cost you hundreds of dollars in new fire-suppression costs in the new year.

Saultites can currently be fined for outdoor burning without a permit, but the city has approved a new bylaw that for the first time makes you also responsible for the cost of each fire truck dispatched to your property.

The revamped bylaw tightens up numerous aspects of Sault Ste. Marie's controls on outdoor burning, including:

• a definition of open-air burning
• a list of exemptions that are not considered open-air burning to which the bylaw does not apply
• a clear set of conditions and safety provisions for all open-air burning
• cost-recovery actions for any and all costs and expenses with respect to responding to, controlling or extinguishing an open-air fire that is caused by a contravention of the bylaw

A permit-holder may only conduct open-air burning between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.

No more than 0.5 cubic metres of combustible material may be burned, with a clearance of five metres to all buildings, structures, decks, property lines, trees, hedges, fences, roadways, overhead wires or other combustible articles. 

No burning is allowed where it could cause a risk to human health.

The bylaw doesn't apply to:

• a person using a barbecue to cook food
• a person using a fire in a device installed outside of a building that is used as a source of heat or power for the building or that is ancillary to a manufacturing process, and provided that such device is certified for the purpose by a recognized agency
• a person using a gas- or propane-fuelled fire pit, table or bowl
• a person utilizing an approved outdoor wood-burning sauna or hot-tub
• a person utilizing an approved outdoor wood-burning pizza oven enclosed on all sides
• a person using an appliance that meets the requirements of the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000
• a person using a device designed to heat pitch or asphalt a person using welding equipment
• the city or city officers for purposes of education and training individuals
• a person setting or maintaining a ceremonial or sacred fire

All open-air fires must be contained in a non-combustible fire container (i.e. fire bowl, fire table, fireplace, chiminea, barrel or wood stove) or a pit in or on the ground surrounded by a non-combustible barrier of metal, masonry, ceramic or stone.

The following other conditions apply:

• the permit holder shall use only clean, dry firewood, charcoal or briquettes and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall not burn grass, leaves or other noxious materials
• the permit holder shall ensure there is constant supervision and control over the open-air fire by a competent adult from start to extinguishment
• the permit holder shall not conduct open-air burning on days where rain, fog, smog, high winds or any other weather condition prevents the proper dispersion of smoke
• the permit holder shall have an adequate water supply to contain or extinguish the open-air fire
• the permit holder shall be courteous to neighbours at all times and shall not cause or permit a nuisance fire
• rhe permit holder shall completely extinguish the open air fryer before the site is vacated