Staff Report to Council - Open Burning and COVID-19

Staff Report to Council

Date:

March 19, 2020

Department:

Fire Rescue

Subject:

Open Burning and COVID-19

Background

The City of Langford’s Bylaw 1532 to Regulate Burning, Prevent and Suppress Fires and Regulate People at Fires in the City of Langford allows for a spring burning period from March 15 to April 15 annually. With many residents at home self-isolating due to COVID-19 as well as direction from the Ministry of Health to go outside into parks and trails for recreation, the current burn period poses a challenge for residents with respiratory issues and being exposed to the smoke from open fires.

Commentary

The current policy was initiated in 2014 with the purpose to improve air quality in the community. The changes were effective in reducing the amount of smoke on “burn weekends” by spreading open fires over a month period, as well as limiting permits to a half acre lot or greater. This reduced the amount of complaints we receive from residents about open burning.

As we are in unprecedented territory with the COVID-19 pandemic, overall health and well being are on the minds of all residents. We are currently only 4 days into the spring burning period and there have been 6 complaints from residents regarding smoke from the open fires and health concerns that are posed with the current policy. Typically, we would receive less than this for the entire burn period and therefore equates for a significant increase in complaints.

There is also a concern on the staff time for both Bylaw and Fire Department staff to manage the open burning process, to deal with complaints and manage the permitting system. With the quickly changing developments of the pandemic as well as restriction of staff to essential services to ensure delivery of emergency response, time is better spent on responding to the pandemic rather than maintaining the open burning policy.

Council may consider also a suspension of the campfire regulation for the same reasons. There would be a concern that some residents who were unable to get an open burning permit would obtain a campfire permit to burn their yard waste instead as this does occur regularly. Campfires however, can also be a good social activity for families during the pandemic as it can maintain social distancing, so this needs to be balanced with the negative effects of the smoke produced.

Financial Implications

There are no financial implication anticipated.

Legal Implications

There are no legal implications.

Options

That Council:

1. Suspend the current open burning policy for the spring burn period, rescind all open burning permits and enact a campfire ban;

OR

2. Suspend the current open burning policy for the spring burn period, but continue to allow campfires;

OR

3. Make no changes to the open burning policy at this time.

Respectfully submitted,

Submitted by:
Chris Aubrey, Fire Chief

Concurrence:
Adriana Proton, Manager of Legislative Services

Concurrence:
Lorne Fletcher, Manager of Community Safety and Municipal Enforcement

Concurrence:
Braden Hutchins, Director of Corporate Services

Concurrence:
Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer

:CA