A request to allow open burning in Oak Bay, including beach fires in special circumstances, was snuffed out by council.
“It is unfortunate but it is a case of a few ruining it for everyone,” said Oak Bay fire chief Gerry Adam. “To have random fires at the beach you are asking for trouble.”
Events such as the annual beach bonfire at the Sea of Lights parade in December, supervised by the fire department, will continue. Council did approve a slight rewording of the bylaw to include verbiage for cultural observances such as First Nations celebrations. However, those requests will also need to go through council for approval.
