The City of Saint John is developing a bylaw to regulate outside burning within city limits.
Fire Chief Rob Nichol gave an overview of the proposed bylaw to council’s public safety committee last week.
It comes as the city sees ongoing impacts from climate change, including more hotter days and more frequent wildfires.
Nichol told committee members that the city currently has guidelines in place but no rules to manage outdoor fires.
“There’s no really requirement for citizens to adhere to the provincial forest fire watch and really no enforceability,” the chief said.
Nichol also noted that Saint John is the only major municipality in New Brunswick without an outdoor fire bylaw.
The new bylaw would create a permitting mechanism allowing for open fires during special events. As is the case now, permits would not be required for outdoor fireplaces on owner-occupied property.
Anyone found guilty of violating the bylaw would be fined between $2,400 and $5,200. Administrative penalties would range from $240 to $960.
The new bylaw has raised concerns from some organizations, including one that helps unhoused individuals in the community.
Fresh Start Services said it is crucial to consider the “unique and vulnerable situation” of the city’s homeless population.
“For many, encampment fires are a means of survival, providing warmth, the ability to cook food, and a sense of security,” the agency wrote in a letter to council.
“Enforcing strict fire bylaws without any exemptions for the unhoused not only criminalizes their existence but also exacerbates their hardships.”
Some examples of exemptions offered by the agency include a complete exemption, designated safe areas where small controlled fires are allowed, or a collaboration to get collapsable fire pits.
Nichol said while the bylaw would include fines, the department’s main goal would be education.
He noted they would look at how a bylaw might impact unhoused individuals, adding they do not want to cause more grief.
The bylaw is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
