Lumby area residents are being warned not to ignore the burning ban.
Firefighters were called to a rural property Wednesday where a resident was burning wood in a barrel.
“He said he didn’t know about it (ban) but is there anyone in the province who doesn’t know about it?” said Tony Clayton, fire chief.
Because of the ongoing fire risk, open burning is prohibited in all jurisdictions including the Village of Lumby and the Regional District of North Okanagan.
Signs at both highway entrances to the village notify motorists of the ban.
The burning barrel was 30 feet away from trees.
“One bit of breeze blowing a spark and we would have had a major situation,” said Clayton.
The resident was handed a $345 fine for the burning barrel.
Clayton insists that residents must do their part to prevent fires.
“Things are pretty dry. Walk through the grass and it’s pretty crunchy,” he said.
“Be aware of your surroundings and don’t do anything that causes a fire.”
