Some summertime fun could be extinguished by new bylaw amendments that would ban open air burning in Halifax’s urban core.
A staff report headed to Regional Council is recommending HRM prohibit open air burning on any residential properties that are within 50 feet of another structure and without a septic system.
The proposed regulations would also outlaw any homemade wood burning devices—including campfires, steel drums and food smokers—while limiting others appliances like chimeneas and outdoor fireplaces to larger, rural and suburban lots.
Current bylaws allow for a fire on residential property between 2pm and midnight (unless it’s a designated “no burn” day), and so long as there’s a 15-foot minimum distance to any neighbouring structures.
For comparison, this map of north end Halifax shows how many lots meet the current 15-foot boundary (illustrated in green) with how many would fall under the proposed 50-foot setback (shown in red). Below that is the same information mapped onto a section of Fall River.
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Two years ago, council approved amendments to Bylaw 0-109 (“Respecting Open Air Burning”) that set time restrictions on open air fires in HRM, based on new requirements in Nova Scotia’s forest fire protection regulations.
This new staff report, prepared by deputy fire chief Roy Hollet, reports that the cutoff times have had little impact in reducing 911 calls about illegal backyard burns—most of which are made by neighbours bothered by all the smoke.
“Neighbours who find the smoke to be a nuisance, are continuing to call 911 and report the situation as an illegal burn or asking [Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency] to attend and investigate the location where the smoke is coming from,” writes Hollett.
From April to October of 2015, HRFE responded to 515 nuisance fire calls about open air burnings. Many of those fires, Hollett notes, turned out to be meeting all bylaw requirements and were allowed to proceed—but it was still a waste of everyone’s time.
“It unnecessarily removes the fire crew from being in a position to respond to higher level emergencies,” writes Hollett, “and as well, puts the Fire Officer in a position of having to mediate disputes between neighbours.”
The fire departments hopes that only allowing backyard open air burning on larger rural lots will lead to fewer smoky arguments, and fewer 911 calls.
The amendments, if passed, would still allow for any approved propane or natural gas appliances, as well as small charcoal-fuelled barbecues and commercially-manufactured food smokers.
Council will debate the amendments Tuesday at City Hall.
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This article appears in Jun 9-15, 2016.
Jebus fucking Christ, we’re going to ban chimnea fires, in people’s back fucking yards, because a bunch of twats are wasting the fire department’s time, resources and money by reporting perfectly legal fires, just to be dicks, so we punish law abiding citizens obeying the law? This is the message we want to send? Because the fire department gets annoyed by people abusing the system to unnecessarily harass their neighbors, we give the keys of the kingdom to the twats abusing the system? This is just embarrassing on soooooo many levels. I hang my head in shame that this is the world we live in.
To the fire department,
I’m actually surprised that the number is so low with a city this size. That’s really only 100 asshole neighbors calling, on average, 3-4 times a year minus a few legitimate calls. You get paid well to do your job, now, figure out the problem, address the situation, and become unfrustrated, If we banned everything that frustrated us about our jobs, our jobs would be banned and it would be ‘rich guy Saturday’ every fucking day!
Maybe we could try to collectively not shit the bed on this one.
The sooner the better when these things are gone. I have asthma, and now re-curing lung infections already from a chiminea fire apparatus that I had to put up with for 3 summers. Couldn’t open a window on a hot day or evening, couldn’t enjoy my deck on a warm evening….neighbourhood smelt like a garbage dump. Sure ruined any outdoor activity when this thing was burning.
Other cities across Canada are already banning theses menaces.
So, I guess we’ll have to ban all wood burning, including in-door fireplaces, as well. Smoke is smoke.
Next we can ban oil furnaces, they stink worse than wood smoke. Then we can tear down the power plant, who wants those coal fumes in the air. Finally we can remove all vehicles from the roads, that stuff’s burning 24-7!
For a country that fought and die to be free to choose how we live. We sure have a lot of stupid laws/by-laws that say were not free and now you want more stupid by-laws.
H.R.M council what ever happen common sence.
We have enough rights taken way from us. When you pay my mortgage and taxes you make the call. This is a relaxing enjoyment for people. Most of us are so taxed by the sherif of Nottingham that it’s the only thing we can afford to do anyway.
First thing I did when I moved here was make a fire pit in my backyard. Now we may use it twice a weekend if not more if the fools at city hall are actually thinking about banning it.
Omg some people will complain about anything ! Not everyone can get out of the city to a campground you know and as long as they r following the safety rules there shouldnt be a problem
Wow a lot of inconsiderate people here. I just got back from my second walk of the year in Canada after being trapped indoors all winter and I am literally in agony from all the smoke in my lungs from back yard fires. My lungs, my throat, just agony. Going to have to take pain killers. What right do you have to poison the streets where people walk. Why does your right supercede my right to clean air while I’m walking. I’m now going to have to get an N95 mask just to walk and get some exercise. I can’t believe this.