Effective Monday, July 6, 2020, Town of Pelham Fire Chief Bob Lymburner has declared an open-air burn ban due to a lack of significant rainfall and forecasted hot, dry conditions.

There will be no open-air burning permitted in Pelham until further notice.

“This burn ban is for the safety of the entire community,” said Lymburner. “Fires can spread quickly and with the hot, dry weather and very little precipitation in the forecast, conditions are ripe for a simple backyard fire to quickly spread out of control.”

All open-air fires are prohibited during a fire ban and all open-air burn permits are temporarily suspended. The ban applies to agriculture burns, brush pile burns, recreational fires, burn barrels, outdoor fireplaces/chimineas, or any other fires set in open-air.

The only exception to this ban is cooking fires within approved campgrounds. Cooking fires are permitted on campsites from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. only. After midnight, all fires must be completely extinguished.

Open-air fires can spread through dry vegetation with alarming speed. Therefore, if an open-air fire is discovered it is very important to immediately dial 9-1-1 and report it.

The burn ban complements that current ban on fireworks within the Town of Pelham.

For more information on open-air burning and general fire safety, visit: www.pelham.ca/fire