Yarmouth town councillors talked about the allowance of backyard fires in the town at yesterday’s Committee of the Whole meeting.
Staff presented a draft by-law, after reviewing best practices of other municipalities.
Only an outdoor wood burning appliance could be used, and there would be several rules and regulations surrounding it, including buffer zones away from schools and seniors homes.
Many times over the years, council has heard from citizens about their desire to have small fires for leisure.
Mayor Pam Mood says it has to work for everybody.
“What do you do if somebody has asthma, or can’t handle the smoke and get sick? That’s happened in years past. We need to protect everybody, not just through the buffer,” says Mood.
You would also need a permit from the fire department.
Mood says no decisions have been made.
“We’ve asked, as a council, for more information and more time to review the information that was brought forward. We wish it was a cut and dry decision, but we need more time.”
Read the draft by-law here.
