While the fire departments of North Hastings will not yet implement a burn ban, that could change after the weekend.
Due to dry conditions, the fire departments of Limerick, Wollaston, Faraday, Hastings Highlands and Bancroft are asking residents to limit any burning to small two-foot-by-two-foot campfires. They also stress that daytime burning is prohibited, and no fires may be started before 7 PM or after 7 AM. The burning of yard waste or brush, or the setting off of fireworks, is not allowed during this time.
Deputy Fire Chief Matt Musclow says while they will allow small campfires for the time being, everyone is responsible for every fire they light. They must be attended at all times, and a source of water must be close by. Anything that happens as a result of that fire, including damage to property or persons, is the responsibility of whoever lit the fire in the first place.
To make sure embers don’t cause any problems, Musclow wants people who light campfires to be thorough when they douse them. Residents should drown their fire, stir the ashes, and then drown again. Musclow says this should be done until there is no more steam coming from the ashes. This way, they hope to keep the number of fires down.
While this weekend may be safe for people to have campfires, Musclow isn’t so sure about after that. With little substantial rain predicted over the next couple of days, what happens on the weekend will decide how they move forward. Although some rain is expected this weekend, Musclow fears it may not be enough to cause any change in the wildfire ratings in the area.