Village of Bible Hill puts damper on open fires

BIBLE HILL - Open fires are now officially outlawed in the Village of Bible Hill.
Colchester County council last week gave final reading to a new bylaw that makes open burning illegal.
Outdoor fires are permitted providing
they are held within acceptable fire pits or chimeneas.
An acceptable fire pit means an outdoor receptacle, which is constructed from bricks, concrete blocks, heavy gauge metal, stone or other suitable non-combustible components. They must also include a spark arrestor or metal mesh screen and be positioned on a fire-proof surface and not exceed one metre in width or in diameter when measured between the widest point or outside edges.
A chimenea consists of a small, commercially manufactured burning appliance constructed from a fire resistant material with minimal capacity to burn small quantities of wood or charcoal. Those devices must also include a screen door and a spark arrestor.
Only clean, dry wood will be permitted to be burned in the fire pits, which must be in excess of 4.5 metres (15 ft.) from any building, flammable structure, combustible material or property line.
Those rules are to be relaxed slightly for chimeneas.