CORNWALL – If you have a Chimenea or a wood fire pit in your back yard in Cornwall, your days may be numbered.
City council will consider a recommendation from the fire department to do away with open air burning within city limits at its Monday council meeting.
Open fires currently require a $100 permit for three years, which brings in about $8,000 a year for the city (80 permits).
But the cost doesn’t cover the time firefighters are called out – mostly on the weekends – for burn complaints. Usually it’s neighbours complaining about smoke.
The city has seen an uptick in complaints – 51 in four months compared to 62 during the seven month permissible burning period last year (April-October).
Right now, there are about 260 open permits. Any existing permits would be grandfathered in to the new ban.
The ban would not apply to natural gas or propane-fueled outdoor fireplaces.
Monday’s council meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 360 Pitt Street.
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