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Fire chief speaks out against barrel burning after grassfre

Keremeos fire department was called to a small grass fire caused by items being burned in a barrel.
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Submitted The Keremeos Volunteer Fire Department was called out to a grass fire caused by material being burned in a barrel Monday around 2 p.m.

Just a few days after an open burn ban was lifted, the Keremeos Volunteer Fire Department was called out to an out of control grassfire.

Firefighters attended the private property near the intersection of Daly Drive and Ferko Road just before 2 p.m. Monday.

Jordy Bosscha, chief of the Keremeos department said the fire was contained quickly but “had the potential” to get out of hand.

“I believe they were using a burning barrel earlier in the day,” he told the Review.

Eight members attended the scene and it took about 90 minutes to control, extinguish and clean up.

Bosscha said if he had his way burn barrels would be banned in the area.

Although he couldn’t say if the barrel had been left unattended in this incident, he noted many times they are while material is burning in them.

“I’m not saying that is what caused the fire in this incident, but grass fires are one of several reasons I’d like them banned. When left attended we often get complaints of them smouldering away. The crap inside is left to smoulder away and the smoke and stench wafts into other people’s homes,” he said.

“I don’t see the need to burn stuff in a barrel. Too often people put garbage, plastic, etc. in these barrels and burn it. The smoke from burning garbage and plastic causes cancer.”

Anyone choosing to have an open burn either in a barrel or in piles is urged is to use caution as tall grasses are still dry and a fire can easily be caused.