BARRHEAD-Wildfire season is officially here.
If anyone had any doubt, all they have to do is talk to the Barrhead Regional Fire Services (BRFS).
Last week the fire department responded to several wildfires, including three different grass fires on April 13.
As a result of the dry conditions, the BRFS issued a fire ban/restriction order starting April 16 at 4 p.m.
The ban prohibits all campfires and other open fires or charcoal briquettes in the backcountry or random camping areas. It also suspends all new fire permits issued for large burning, brush piles and windrows.
BRFS chief Gary Hove noted that although all County of Barrhead and Town of Barrhead campgrounds are closed and therefore campfires are not permitted at these locations.
No fire permits will be issued for the duration of the Fire Restriction, as per the Forest & Prairie Protection Act.
Not included in the ban are "safe fires" contained in cooking and heating appliances and which are fuelled by fluids or gases such as barbecues.
Approved burn barrels, incinerators or backyard, campground fire pits and people with existing fire pits are also permitted.
Hove also encouraged people to postpone burning if possible and if they choose to burn in an approved burn barrel, backyard fire pit or under an existing permit to use extreme caution.
"Not should people exercise extreme caution if they do decide to have a fire," he said. "The grass is quite dry right now, so people really need to remember not to throw their cigarette butts out the window and to look underneath their vehicles, especially if they are hauling something, to see if a chain is dragging because in these conditions the smallest spark could start a fire."
