Open air fire ban lifted in Perth County

Effective at midnight tonight, thanks to the recent rainfall, the open air fire ban will be lifted in the County of Perth, including the Town of St. Marys. Burn permits can now be issued and must abide by the respective municipality’s open air burn by-law.

With the monitoring of rainfall and vegetation conditions, Fire Chiefs are confident that residents can now safely burn. Please continue to practice safe burning by doing the following:

Call your local fire department to obtain an open air burn permit.
Closely supervise all outdoor fires. Make sure the fire is out before leaving the area.
Ensure that your open fire is at least 25 feet away from all structures and other combustible materials.
Never burn plastics, household garbage, construction debris, treated lumber or other laminate wood, tires, ashphalt products, pesticides, paint or aerosol containers, etc. These contain toxins that are harmful to people, animals and the environment when burned.
Avoid burning on windy days and be aware of wind direction when deciding to burn.
Never use gasoline or other flammable combustible liquids.
Have a source of water or equipment to move dirt/sand to extinguish the fire if necessary.

With weather conditions changing frequently during the summer months, we advise that the burn ban may be put back in place at anytime, if dry conditions return.

Farmers are still encouraged to be very careful with combining, as field fires can quickly overtake equipment, neighbouring crops and can spread quickly into adjacent woodlands. Having a fire extinguisher on board large equipment is highly recommended.

If you discover an uncontrolled/unattended open air fire, it is very important that you report fires immediately to 9-1-1. Do not delay reporting while attempting to control or extinguish the fire.

The Fire Chiefs in these municipalities wish to thank residents and visitors alike for their patience and co-operation during the fire ban.
If you have any questions regarding this order, please contact your local Fire Department.

Perth East: 519-595-2800
St. Marys: 519-284-1752
Biddulph Blanshard: 519-801-0812
North Perth: 519-291-2950
West Perth: 519-595-2800
Perth South: Contact the Chief Fire Official of your fire area (numbers above)

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For more information: Bill Hunter, Fire Coordinator – County of Perth
Email: bhunter@pertheast.ca
Phone: 519-595-2800, ext. 226