Mapleton bringing back burn ban

MAPLETON - Township of Mapleton Fire Chief Rick Richardson has declared an open-air fire ban in Mapleton due to lack of significant rainfall and forecasted hot dry conditions. Effective July 6 there will be no open-air burning permitted in the township until further notice.

All open-air fires are prohibited during a fire ban, including those properties that have an open-air fire notification and no further notifications will be issued at this time. The ban applies to agriculture burns, brush pile burns, recreational fires, burn barrels, outdoor fireplaces/chimineas or any other fires set in open air. Municipal bylaws have set fines and surcharges for those found to be in violation of the ban. The only exception to this ban is cooking fires within approved campgrounds. Cooking fires are permitted on campsites from noon (12pm) to midnight (12am) only. After midnight, all fires must be completely extinguished.

“If you discover a fire in the open, it is very important that you report fires immediately by dialing 9-1-1,” states a July 3 press release from Richardson.

This new ban is stricter than an earlier open air burn ban issued in Mapleton this spring. The previous ban on large fires was implemented April 3 and lifted June 11. Unlike the new ban, the earlier ban applied to fires over two metres by two metres in size, but not to smaller recreational/backyard fires.