A fire ban announced by the provincial government yesterday doesn't include Collingwood, so backyard fires are still one of the outdoor things you can do with your family while staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the ban put in place by the province applies to nearly all of Ontario, the restricted zone stops at Owen Sound and doesn't include the southern tip of Ontario.
The restricted fire zone includes areas in the province susceptible to forest fires, and the restriction will remain in place until the end of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Collingwood Fire Chief Ross Parr confirmed Collingwood residents can still have fires, but he is urging them to follow proper safety precautions, and that includes close supervision of any fire.
The fire department advises using enclosed fire pits smaller than three feet in diameter with a 25-foot clearance between the fire and any building, structure, tree, hedge, fence or other combustible article. Outdoor fireplaces such as fire bowls or chimineas require 15 feet of clearance.
Typically, residents of Collingwood require an open air burning permit, but Chief Parr said he's not issuing permits right now.
If you are having a fire, make sure you maintain it while it is burning, and only burn wood or byproducts of wood. You should have a portable fire extinguisher or operable garden hose (best to check it prior to lighting the fire) available nearby. Fully extinguish the fire with buckets of water before you leave the site.
For the town's open air burning bylaw, click here. For safety tips on outdoor fires, click here.
