Local fire ban continues

The ban on open flame fire pits remains in effect in both the City of Estevan and the surrounding Rural Municipality of Estevan No. 5.

On Aug. 13, Shane Code, Estevan Fire Rescue Service Chief issued the city-wide ban on all open flame burning, fire pits, campfire and fireworks.

“I know I’ll be looked at as the villain on this one because it means (meant) no fireworks at the Beach Bash at Boundary Dam this year, but the increased risk was just too high,” said Code, referring to the potential for a significant dryland grass fire in the area.

With the arrival of extremely warm weather and high winds, the risk factor simply escalated.

Those conditions have now subsided slightly, but the ban is still in place.

Deputy Chief Dale Feser said on Monday afternoon, “we will continue to monitor the situation daily and perhaps we can lift the ban soon, with any luck,” suggesting it might even be as early as this afternoon (Aug. 19), but that could not be confirmed to any degree. 

So, in the meantime, local residents are reminded to cease the lighting and fueling of any open fires and that includes propane fuelled fire pits. Standard barbecues, however, are exempted, said the fire officials since it is accepted that barbecue equipment provides a cover and they are attended to by someone at all times.

Code said he was fully aware of the inconvenience, but, at the same time, if an open field fire occurred under the conditions that prevailed last week with high temperatures and strong winds, the results could have been disastrous.