A total fire ban remains in place for the region. And the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) has recently upgraded the Forest Fire Danger Rating in our area from Low to High.
In Madawaska Valley, the fire ban means open-air burning, including campfires, is not allowed. Portable gas or propane stoves may be used for cooking and warmth but must be handled with caution. All burning permits are suspended.
Fire Chief Corwin Quade says he doesn’t expect the ban to end soon. He says even when there’s some rain, there’s a risk of lightning, which can cause fires.
The risk, he says, is “actually getting worse. More dangerous every day.”
Quade says while most people are co-operative, the department has had phone calls from frustrated people, now that the ban is in its second month. The Department also issued three charges for fireworks use over Canada Day weekend
Quade stressed the fire ban has been ordered by MNRF which has declared much of Ontario (including Madawaska Valley) as a Restricted Fire Zone.
When MRNF lifts the regional ban, the Madawaska Valley Fire Department can decide whether to make open-air burning legal again.