Fire Ban Lifted In CK

After a few steady days of rain, the fire ban has been lifted in Chatham-Kent.

The ban was lifted Monday afternoon by Chatham-Kent Fire and Emergency Services (CKFES).

"The last month has been very drought-like, but the consequence of such a dry spell is that it makes the conditions perfect for fires to propagate," says Chatham-Kent Fire Paramedic Chief Bob Crawford. "Any type of ignition source, whether it's lightning, discarded cigarettes, or a camp fire, has the possibility of igniting a fire that can cause some damage to the neighbourhood."

CKFES says the following rules under the municipal Open-Air Burn Bylaw must be followed while burning:

• The fire is for the provision of warmth, recreation, or cooking
• The fire is controlled. Flames and hot embers do not pose a risk of fire to nearby combustible materials
• The fire is attended/supervised at all times by a responsible person
• There must be a source of water or fire extinguisher nearby so you can extinguish the fire if necessary
• The fire must be immediately extinguished if a neighbour complains

"We want you to play responsibility in any way you can. Try to reduce the risks so we don't have another unfortunate fire or worse that we lose some property or somebody gets hurt," he says.

Crawford says it's hard to tell what the weather will be like in the coming weeks, so the fire department is keeping an eye on conditions.

"It is summer in Canada and we could certainly go back to those parched days that we just experienced, in which case, we'd take a look at the Ministry of Natural Resources for the province, they keep a map that demonstrates the level of risk right across the province," he says.

You can get applications for Open Air Burning Permits at any of the Chatham-Kent Municipal Centre’s or online.