Forest fire season begins in New Brunswick

DAILY NEWSApr 15, 2013 2:02 PM - 0 comments

Forest fire season in New Brunswick began Monday, and the provincial government is urging residents to take precautions to make sure fires aren’t “carelessly ignited.”

Last year, 344 fires burned 362 hectares of forest land in New Brunswick, according to the province’s Department of Natural Resources.

A 24-hour toll-free Burning Permit Information line will operate throughout the forest-fire season, which ends Oct. 31, the government said Monday.

The province’s Natural Resources department said it encourages “mulching, composting or hauling debris to a local landfill as alternate methods of disposal.”

“A burning permit from the department is required for any fire larger than a Category 1,” a government statement noted. A Category 1 fire includes campfires or burning a small amount of debris no higher than two metres and no larger than three metres in diameter.

The statement also warned New Brunswick residents not to light grass fires in fields. More information on when permission is required for fires in available on the province’s website.

“Natural Resources firefighters work closely with their colleagues from municipal and volunteer fire departments across New Brunswick to combat wildfires,” Natural Resources Minister Bruce Northrup added in the statement.

“When fires break out in municipalities and rural areas, the volunteer and municipal fire departments are often the first ones called out,” he added.

Natural Resources also employs water bombers to gather water from lakes and rivers for aerial firefighting, the statement added.