Permits now available for brush burning in East Ferris

"Now that we've opened the office, we are selling permits for anything larger than a campfire," says East Ferris Fire Chief Frank Loeffen.

Loeffen adds staff has been working hard in adapting to increased safety and health precautions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic for fire permits to be able to be issued at Town Hall.

With a stretch of dry, hot weather is behind us, Loeffen notes it is a perfect time to begin issuing permits at the municipal office for brush burning and incinerators. 

Permits are $20 for a month and Loeffen reminds citizens daytime burning is not permitted.

"A campfire contained within a fire pit does not require a permit," says Loeffen, "but there is absolutely no burning before 6 p.m."

Restrictions on campfires had previously been lifted in concert with provincial directives last month and campfires less than one metre by one metre do not require a permit. 

Loeffen does encourage permit holders to "burn with extreme caution. Keep things under control, no need to get ridiculous with the size of your fires."

Chief Loeffen says, in his experience, neighbours have a tendency to get nervous when they see huge bonfires, meaning the volunteer fire service could end up spending valuable resources looking into fires that could have been kept to a more manageable size.