Those burning brush in the Municipality of Bifrost-Riverton are going to have to take some extra precautions in the near future. Reeve Harold Foster says they're currently discussing fines for those burning without a permit. They're in the early stages of setting those fines, which are being discussed following a few fires earlier this year. 

Reeve Harold Foster

"We had some issues earlier this year when it was dry and people were burning without permits. We had a fire that got away, they had a permit but it got away from them. We're contemplating the levels of fines, but we have not set the policy in place yet."

Burning permits across southern Manitoba were cancelled on Crown Lands, and many municipalities implemented fire bans due to the dry conditions in the spring. Foster says they're hoping this will help deter those without permits from burning, especially when the weather is dry.

However, it's not just burning permits they're discussing when it comes to fire safety in the municipality. The current by-law doesn't require permits for those burning in barrels, but Foster says they may put some measures in place to help ensure that type of burning is safe.

"One of the exceptions to burning permits is people burning in barrels or containers. However, we still feel they need to put proper preventions in place to keep fires from spreading. We did have a fire this year that started from a barrel, and we had to send the fire department out which costs money."

He says the goal of these changes is simply to ensure those burning brush or yard waste are doing so safely, without putting nearby properties or people at risk. He notes they'll further discuss the changes at their next meeting.