Monday, September 28, 2020 – The backyard burning season in Sooke will open October 1st. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the province prohibited backyard burning on March 26, 2020. Subsequently, the spring backyard burning season was cut short to help keep the air clean during a time when residents were expressing health and respiratory concerns. The District will continue to monitor related effects and encourages residents to burn only when the Venting Index is GOOD.
“We are asking residents to be mindful of their neighbours and respectful of the regulations in place,” says District of Sooke Fire Chief Kenn Mount. “Your efforts will help mitigate the amount of fine particle pollution caused by burning wood and debris – and will help keep the air that we breathe, clean.” When it comes to backyard burning, residents are asked to:
- Ensure the debris is dry
- Shorten burning periods as much as possible
- Locate burn piles as far away from property lines and structures as possible (at minimum, 20 feet)
- Monitor the smoke to ensure that it is venting well and not impacting neighbours
- Limit the number of hours that you burn
- Familiarize yourself with the Burning Regulations
- Refrain from burning prohibited materials (construction waste, garbage, etc)
- Burn when the Venting Index is GOOD (scroll down to SRN VAN ISLD)
Residents are being relied upon to be reasonable and considerate – and to learn before you burn.
Related:
- District of Sooke Burning Regulations
- District of Sooke Bylaw 292 – Fire Protection Services
- Ministry of Environment Venting Index – scroll down to SRN VAN ISLD
- Provincial Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation (OBSCR)
Media Contact:
Kenn Mount, Fire Chief
District of Sooke Fire Rescue
250-642-5422 | kmount@sooke.ca