Wed, 14 May 2014
Oakville’s open air burning by-law has changed to protect residents from the negative impacts of backyard fires on neighbouring properties and to authorize the Fire department to charge fees for responding to by-law violations. Council approved the changes to By-law 2006-174 earlier this year in response to concerns raised by residents.
Under the new by-law, smoke and odour from an outdoor fireplace or fire pit cannot interfere with neighbours’ enjoyment of their property. Fire crews will respond to complaints and fire safety violations, extinguish the offending fire and educate the resident about the by-law requirements for open air burning. After two violations of the by-law, the property owner will be charged a fee of $410 for each Fire department response.
“It’s important that residents and property owners understand and follow the rules for open air burning,” said Oakville Fire Chief Lee Grant. “Our goal is to educate and encourage neighbours to consider each other’s needs so Oakville residents can continue to enjoy safe recreational fires on their property.”
The Fire department has produced the following checklist for recreational burning:
Residents thinking about installing an outdoor fire pit may want to consider installing a propane or natural gas-burning device that will significantly reduce the negative impact on their neighbourhood.
For more information on open air burning in Oakville, visit the Outdoor fires and barbeques page or call Oakville Fire Safety Education at 905-338-4404.