The North Bay Fire Department says open burning is banned until further notice due to extremely dry conditions in the area.

Deputy Chief Greg Saunders say they’re following the lead of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

He says This means no fireworks, no recreational open burning, no fires for cooking or warmth are permitted along with no incinerators.
The fire department says anyone found in contravention with this burning ban will likely be charged.

“We’ve seen what happened in Fort McMurray and we don’t want to see that happen here. If somebody is in contravention of the burning ban that is in place there’s a distinct possibility they’ll be charged,” Saunders says.

Saunders say they’ve already had an example this week of how a grass fire can get out of control.

“It took the co-ordinated response of North Bay Fire and the MNR to extinguish the fire. Conditions are ripe. The forest hasn’t greened up yet and it’s pretty dry out there. If there is a fire it could turn into a significant event very quickly,” he says.

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