What Summerside residents should know before starting a backyard fire

The City of Summerside is urging residents to be neighbourly when it comes to backyard fires.

CAO Bob Ashley says there is no bylaw governing small backyard fires, but the city has compiled guidelines for homeowners in the interests of safety and etiquette.

The guidelines are on the city's website and on social media, and a pamphlet will be put in utility bills.

The guidelines include:

• Campfires are prohibited by law if the forest fire index for the City of Summerside reaches high or above.
• The size of the fire should not exceed 0.6 metres by 0.6 metres.
• Don't start a fire when winds are gusty or a steady 20 km/h or higher.
• Campfires should be at least seven metres from any building and three metres from any shrubbery, wooden fences, overhanging trees or combustible material.
• Make sure water containers or a working garden hose and firefighting tools are close by.
• Don't burn garbage. It is illegal. You can be charged and fined for burning plastic, rubber, treated wood, asphalt shingles, construction/demolition waste, or household garbage. When burned, these products release toxic chemicals that are dangerous to you and your neighbours.

Ashley said the city gets a few complaints every year about backyard fires. He's hoping residents will respond to the guidelines rather than a more "heavy-handed bylaw approach."

"Some people are sensitive to the smoke or perhaps it's too windy or the location of the fire is too close to a building or the fire itself maybe is too large," he said.

"Try to be a good neighbour and don't keep the fires going too late into the night and make sure they're properly extinguished."

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