Today’s Poll

Fees set, frequency approved on backyard burning

Nelson Daily Editor
By Nelson Daily Editor
April 5th, 2011

By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily

Backyard burning is now nearly ensconced in the Nelson legislative landscape.

Approval was given on the third reading on the Fire Regulation and Prevention Bylaw to allow for two backyard burning periods per year, set at the discretion of the fire chief.

City council is expected to adopt the bylaw at their next meeting to allow people to purchase a $10 permit to burn all yard waste material that accumulates from the land on which the burning takes place.

Burning piles of slash and prescribed burns are common forestry management practices, creating the best prevention protection against loss, damage or injury due to wildfires.

According to fire chief Simon Grypma, disposal of combustible vegetation and hazard abatement in wildfire interface areas significantly reduces the threat of wildfire and also enhances wildlife habitat.

A City staff report said backyard burning could be considered part of routine wildfire mitigation in certain areas of Nelson. A section of the Official Community Plan noted there were various areas of the city located within or near wildland settings where natural vegetation makes them at high risk of wildfire within the urban/wildland interface.

The fire chief has proposed that April be the first month to allow burning under the new bylaw.

editor@thenelsondaily.com

 

Where the concerns arose from

The Ministry of Environment has advised that Nelson has a relatively poor air quality index.

While burning is permitted all year round in the surrounding areas, backyard burning could negatively impact Nelson’s air quality index, thereby negatively impacting on the environment and public health.

However, disposal of combustible vegetation and hazard abatement in wildfire interface areas significantly reduces the threat of wildfire and also enhances wildlife habitat.

While the fire chief was authorized by bylaw to approve a backyard waste burning period, a carefully framed policy which provided stipulations in which a permit may be issued by the Nelson Fire Department is expected to help council balance the need for wildfire mitigation with important environmental and public health issues, a City staff report read.

At the Oct. 4 City council meeting council had approved a burning period from Oct. 5 through to Oct. 31. Council had also requested at the meeting a report be prepared by the fire chief on the effectiveness of the burning period.

 

The backyard burn period that was

The backyard burn period in 2010 was the first in the city since 2007 when they issued 236 permits, compared to the 77 they issued last fall.

When a telephone survey of people who used backyard burn permits was done (25 people in all), it was found the permits were not used just for disposing of yard waste but for the cleaning up of woody debris (77 per cent) — a potential hazard in the instance of an interface forest fire.

Of the 77 permits issued, only one permit was not acted upon (due to time and weather venting).

The majority of materials burned consisted of small to medium diameter branches and yard waste, with three homeowners burning larger wood materials such as logs and trees.

Most people (77 per cent) said they not only wanted to avoid a trip to the waste transfer station, but they also wished to assist the City in their Community Fire Smart Initiative to reduce the risk of an interface fire.

One person said their efforts were entirely focused on reducing the woody debris as far back as 30 metres into the forest.

In the future, any further burn permits issued should consider the size, location of the property within the interface area, and access as a determining factor for issuing such a permit, said chief Grypma.

 

See also

Backyard burning a smoking success

• Backyard burning blazes through council

• Back burner for backyard burning issue

Case for limited return of backyard burning

 

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