Brandon Fire & Emergency Services Issues Reminder on City of Brandon Burning Policies

Brandon, MB – With the current unseasonably dry conditions being experienced in Brandon, officials with Brandon Fire & Emergency Services would like to remind residents of the City’s strict burning policies. As per City of Brandon Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 7200, the only open burning allowed within the City of Brandon is that within fire pits or appliances accompanied by an authorized permit. Brandon Fire and Emergency Services would also like to advise the public that until further notice, the use of open fire pits in the City’s public parks is prohibited out of an abundance of caution.

Should a resident not have an open fire permit and wish to obtain one, applications can be found on the Brandon Fire & Emergency Services’ website at http://brandonfire.ca/resources/open-fire-safety. Applications can also be obtained from Brandon Fire & Emergency Services’ Firehall No.1 or Firehall No.2 (located at 120 – 19th Street North or 1301 – 13th Street, respectively) seven days a week between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.  There is absolutely no cost to obtain a permit, however, prior to issuing of a permit, an application must be completed in full and an inspection of the proposed site /appliance by a member of Brandon Fire and Emergency Services is required. If not approved within thirty days, a new application must be submitted. If a citizen is found burning without a permit, they WILL be issued a fine, without warning, of UP TO $1,000 for each offence.

When using any approved fire pit, citizens are reminded to abide by the bylaw’s key requirements, including that of keeping the size of the fire to a minimum, ensuring the spark arrestor is in place, supervising the fire at all times, and ensuring a source of water is located nearby in the event the fire requires extinguishing. More information on open fire safety can be found at the above web address.

Residents with approved outdoor fire pits are reminded to be “Good Neighbours” and ensure that any smoke from their fire pit does not directly drift into their neighbour’s yards. The City of Brandon and Brandon Fire and Emergency Services thanks residents for their cooperation in ensuring that spending time outdoors this summer is a safe and enjoyable experience for all.