With current dry and hot weather conditions throughout most of southern and Midwestern Ontario, motorists are reminded not to throw lit cigarette butts out the window, because the potential for a wildfire or field fire is extremely high.
Not only can field fires be catastrophic to local farmers and their farming operations, they can cause added stress on local fire personnel as well.
"If you flick a cigarette butt and it lands in the wrong area, the farmer could potentially lose everything. We are in very dry conditions and most of the municipalities around here are under some kind of burn restriction," says James Marshall, fire prevention officer for the North Huron Fire Department. "If a farmer does end up with a field fire, it can put tremendous strain on the responding fire departments; it's very hot and the last thing we want to be doing is putting on all our gear and dealing with fires that could be avoided entirely."
One local farmer from the Ben Miller area southeast of Goderich tells CKNX News that someone had done just that earlier today, sparking a small fire in one of his fields.
Another concern for local fire officials is the widespread use of what are referred to as floating sky lanterns, something Marshall says can also contribute to unnecessary field or brush fires.
"Many people are purchasing these floating sky lanterns; essentially you're setting 'material' on fire and letting it up into the air and watching it beautifully float away. Unfortunately these floating lanterns do come down and often times they're still aflame," adds Marshall.
Open air burn bans remain in effect across many municipalities in Perth, Huron and Bruce counties.