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Driveway fire pits are here to stay

The program is now permanent, and includes both Friday and Saturday evenings.
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St. Albert city council voted to make the driveway fire-pit program permanent on May 31. Portable wood-burning or propane fire pits are now allowed on front driveways on Friday and Saturday evenings until midnight.

Bust out the lawn chairs, marshmallows, and roasting sticks because driveway fire pits have been granted a permanent go-ahead after a well-received and successful pilot program.

“It's been a real relief to residents during COVID, and beyond COVID I just think it's a nice way to get to know your neighbour," said Mayor Cathy Heron during the May 31 city council meeting. "Instead of having people always congregating (in) backyards, let's bring community on to the front yards.”

Council unanimously carried the motion to have the pilot program become a permanent fixture in the city.

The program will allow St. Albertans to have a portable wood-burning or propane fire pit out on their driveways on both Friday and Saturday evenings until midnight.

Heron, who read in the motion during the meeting, said she was tired of renewing the pilot for Saturday evenings. It was decided to include Friday evenings in the motion, so residents have more flexibility. If the Friday and Saturday evenings are successful, there is potential to extend the days allowed in the bylaw.

“There's really no definitive reason why Saturdays, and I think what emergency services could support is just the fact it does increase the risk of more nuisances and more smoke-related calls … Let's see how it unfolds … as a full sponsored program and then determine if (we should) increase the frequency at that point,” she said.

Acting Fire Chief Scott Wilde said they have not received any complaints about driveway fires; however, they have had some complaints about backyard fires this past year.

“(Front yard fires) seem different to the backyard. We seem to have people burning their leaves and all kinds of, you know, it seems to be more of an education problem in the backyard,” said Wilde.

St. Albert fire prevention officer Michael Bos said they are promoting people use propane fire pits, as they are less likely to give off smoke.

If a wood-burning fire pit is used, it must be temporary, and people must follow bylaw requirements.

“(The wood-burning fire pit) has to be 10 feet (three metres) away from any property line or from your house, you have to have a grate on top of it, and it has to be a properly constructed portable fire pit,” said Bos.

Water must be readily available, and adults must be present around the fires at all times. Bos also recommends using clean, dry firewood to prevent smoke.

“In addition to that, when it's windy outside, after a 15 km/h wind, that's a good time to start thinking about putting away the fire pit and making sure that it's properly extinguished,” he said.

Initially, the pilot program was launched in early February after positive response from the community when driveway fires were allowed for Halloween and a period of time at the end of November.

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