Fire prevention and safety have been top of mind for many as of late, reports of dangerously dry conditions, uncontrolled wildfires in the north, and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency upgrading the fire weather index for our region to ‘extreme’ have been circulating recently.
But the weekend is fast approaching, and there will still be many here in Moose Jaw that are going to opt to have a (safe) backyard fire. Before you break out the hotdogs and marshmallows, there are a few things to know first.
“Before setting up a fire, be sure it's permitted. Check the newspaper, a website, anything that you can to make sure that you actually can have an outdoor fire,” said Moose Jaw Fire Department (MJFD) Public Information Officer, Cathie Bassett, noting the situation up north.
“We don't want to have any fires if things get kind of crazy around here too. It will be announced if there is a ban. We do get a lot of calls asking us if there is a fire and at this time and it will be announced, it'll be on our Facebook page, it'll be on the city’s website.”
The City of Moose Jaw has some requirements outlined in The Fire Safety Bylaw No. 5567 for residents to follow to avoid running afoul of local bylaw enforcement.
The bylaw requires that fire pits and outdoor fireplaces be made of non-combustible materials such as concrete, clay, bricks, or sheet metal with a minimum thickness of 18 gauge. The firepit is to be covered with a heavy gauge metal screen with openings no larger than 13 mm, and the fire box inside the receptable doesn’t exceed 75 cm in any dimension.
The bylaw also requires firepits and outdoor fireplaces be located a minimum of three metres away from any combustible material, including buildings, porches, decks, or similar amenity space or property line. They are also not to be used on decks or apartment balconies and are to be separated from grass or vegetation by at least 40 cm of non-combustible material.
“We have had cases where people have had their fire pit—and sometimes they really do a homemade job (making the fire pit)—put up on their deck and then we have deck fires,” said Bassett.
“So, place them in the right spot, that’s all we ask, make sure you follow the bylaw completely and use common sense.”
Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces should also be clear of overhanging material such as tree branches, utility lines, and structures.
When in use, only charcoal, cut and seasoned wood, or manufactured fire logs are to be burnt. The burning of waste, hazardous materials, or anything that generates black smoke or an offensive odor—such as plastic, rubber, and treated lumber—is prohibited.
It’s not just what you burn in your fire pit that matters, where the smoke ends up is also an important thing to consider, Bassett noted that a little courtesy can go a long way.
“I always tell people that as a good neighbour you should always ask before placing a fireplace in your backyard. Make sure that it’s not going to bother them,” said Bassett.
“Lots of people have allergies, you might not want to place it too close to your neighbours window because it could cause you a lot of grief down the road.”
Also contained within the bylaw are regulations surrounding the conditions in which a fire pit or outdoor fireplace can be used. Weather conditions that are conducive to spreading fires, such as wind, are mentioned specifically. It is also required that all outdoor fireplaces and fire pits be supervised by an adult, with a method of extinguishing said fire be readily accessible at all times while a fire is burning.
“Keep a hose handy so you have water. You could even have a bucket of sand or whatever is handy to put the fire out,” said Bassett.
“Be really careful with little kids around the fire, it can get out of hand really quick if they’re running around and they could actually touch the hot firepit and they can get burnt really quick.”
Finally, fire pits and outdoor fireplaces are not to be used between the hours of 12 a.m. and 8 a.m. and are to be extinguished when requested by a member of the Fire Department, or a Bylaw Enforcement Officer or peace officer.
"If it's not put out or you're still have the fire going and having a party around it, you're probably going to have somebody show up at your door and tell you to put it out," said Bassett.
"A lot of people don't know that we do have a time frame when they're allowed (to have a fire), it's just courtesy, people sitting around the fire until one or two in the morning are often quite noisy and your neighbours won't be very appreciative of that."
You can view The Fire Safety Bylaw No. 5567 in its entirety by clicking here. Provisions specific to fire pits and outdoor fireplaces can be found on pages 14 and 15 of the linked PDF.