MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - Citing dry and hot conditions across the region, Mountain View County officials have imposed a fire restriction for the entire municipality, effective immediately, officials said Wednesday.
Under the restriction, all current fire and firework permits are cancelled and no new fire or firework permits will be issued until the restriction has been lifted.
As well, all outdoor fires, as defined by the county’s fire bylaw, must be extinguished, lighting any outdoor fires is prohibited, including open fires, fireworks, recreational fires not contained in acceptable fire pits, and fires that have previously received a fire permit.
In accordance with Section 8.02 of Mountain View County’s fire bylaw, only the following activities are permitted under the fire restriction:
• The cooking of food using a barbecue.
• Fires in an acceptable fire pit or acceptable fireplaces, provided the following:
Only clear fuel is used such as natural gas, dry wood or charcoal in amounts which will be contained within the fire pit or fireplace below the mesh screen.
The acceptable fire pit or acceptable fireplace is not used to burn prohibited debris.
A means, acceptable to fire services, of controlling or extinguishing the fire is available on the property and within reasonable distance from where the fire occurs.
The fire is kept under control and supervised at all times by a responsible adult person until such time that the fire has been completely extinguished.
The flame height does not exceed one metre above the structure or container.
As well, permitted fires include burning only burnable debris in an acceptable burning barrel, any fire set by fire services for the purposes of training, any fire for which a district fire chief determines in their absolute discretion does not require a fire permit, fires that are fuelled by compressed gas such as propane torches, oxygen/acetylene torches, and recreational fires.
The restriction will remain in place until further notice.