Wood fire bans important for public wellness

Wildfire smoke has been blanketing much of our province and city. This weekend has been especially smoky and warm. Birds have been noticeably silent. The air has felt heavy and still, and even trees and other plants seem to have less movement and freshness in this recent period of both dry conditions and widespread poor air quality.

Earlier this evening though, at least on our block, the air was clear enough for being outside and opening windows ... until a smoky and hazardous outdoor wood fire began burning nearby.

A June 4 Global News article highlights the advice of Surrey, B.C.’s Fire Chief Len Garis, who stresses the dangers of outdoor wood burning and recommends safer alternatives. Having seen an increase in the number of outdoor fires in his jurisdiction, Fire Chief Garis says, “It’s a good time to be asking people to be more diligent about what they’re doing with the outdoor environment.”

(https://globalnews.ca/news/4253 128/surrey-fire-chief-raisingalarm-over-outdoor-woodburning-fire-pits/)

For the protection of public wellness and public safety, ongoing bans on outdoor wood fires are important in residential areas. As the above-mentioned globalnews.ca report notes, such preventive bans are already in place in communities like Surrey and across most of Metro Vancouver.

Cathy Baiton

Lethbridge