Yorkton Council gave the first two readings to a new Fire Prevention Bylaw, but was prevented from giving it third and final reading when Councillor Chris Wyatt voted against doing all three readings at the regular meeting of Council Monday.
"Yorkton Fire Protective Services recognized the need to review and implement changes to our current fire prevention bylaw for several reasons, the current bylaw is 14 years old affecting its pertinence to the manner we operate today. Additionally, over the period this bylaw has been in affect legislation has changed, rendering portions of our bylaw obsolete. The proposed changes have been highlighted below," explained a report from Deputy Chief Trevor Morrissey, which was circulated to Council.
One of the major changes is "the introduction of a permit to ensure only qualified persons are performing maintenance and repair on life safety systems within our city. Currently there is no provincial regulation outlining what qualifications are required by an individual in order to repair and maintain portable extinguishers, sprinkler systems, standpipe systems or alarm systems. This has created situations where in some cases changes have been made to life safety systems without a proper all encompassing analysis to ensure the system will operate as it was designed with the new changes," detailed the report.The new bylaw also contains regulations regarding open-air fires in the city.
The biggest change in that "an outdoor burning permit is required for each calendar year, and shall be obtained from the Yorkton Fire Protective Services."
The regulations include that;
*Fires must be contained in a non-combustible receptacle constructed of cement, brick or sheet metal with a minimum 18-gauge thickness.
*Any receptacle constructed of brick, or cement must be constructed so as not to allow embers to pass between bricks or mortar.
*The fuel for open-air fires may consist only of charcoal or cut, seasoned wood.
*If smoke from an open-air fire causes an unreasonable interference with the use and enjoyment of another's property, the fire must be extinguished immediately.
