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FIRE DANGER RATING NOW BEING MONITORED ACROSS THE COUNTY

The fire season is underway, and officials are keeping an eye on the danger rating. The Fire Departments in Haliburton County say theĀ  Fire Danger Rating is monitored from the beginning of April until the end of October, which is verified every day and updated when the rating changes.Ā Right now, the rating is set at low.

 

The rating is determined throughĀ an international method of determining the risk of fires in open-air, called the Fire Weather Index. It looks at humidity, temperature, rain, wind direction and wind speed. The fire chiefs of the four municipalities and townships in the county and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry consult to make the rating.

The No Daytime Burning bylaw is now in effect, which means open-air burning isnā€™t allowed between 8:00 amĀ and 6:00 pm.Ā Campfires are allowed at night, however, they must be within an open air burning device or fire pit thatā€™s no bigger than two feet by two feet. The fire pit also has to be at least 20 feet from any adjacent property or combustible object. Recreational fires canā€™t be used to burn yard waste, including leaves, green wood, grass and pine needles. It also has to be attended at all times with water or an extinguisher nearby and must be fully out at the end of the night.

Barbecues are exempt from the bylaw, as long as itā€™s supervised at all times and uses charcoal, briquette, natural gas or propane.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is always raising awareness about the risks of forest fires. Officials say peopleĀ are spending more time in forested areas as community limits extend, which means being safety conscious and fire smart is so important. Last year, the MNRF recorded 776 forest fires in Ontario, up from the 641 in 2016. So far, none are burning in the province.

 

**With files from Taylor Ablett

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