No permission needed for controlled burns regardless of conditions: SPSA

There were two significant fires resulting from controlled burns that spiralled out of control in late April, but provincial law doesn’t require anyone who wants to conduct a controlled burn in Saskatchewan to report it, even in dry and windy conditions.

Jeanette Karyetski, manager of intelligence and situational awareness with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), said it’s the responsibility of the landowner to know of any fire bans in place for their area and to understand whether conditions are safe for a controlled burn.

“People have to use their own discretion and if (there are) 60-kilometre-an-hour winds out there and it’s dry, then don’t light your fires,” was the advice of Ken Kolb, chief administrative officer for the Rural Municipality of Corman Park.

In an email, the SPSA said while people are encouraged to report when they will be doing a controlled burn, it is not required. That leaves few limitations to prevent people lighting fires in dangerous conditions such as extreme winds, which can quickly turn a controlled burn into an out-of-control fire.

A fire cannot be lit or requires permission only if a fire ban is in effect or if it falls under specific criteria set out in the Wildfire Act.

On April 18 and 19, two controlled burns got out of control just outside Saskatoon in the RM of Corman Park — at Highway 219 at the entrance to the Beaver Creek Conservation Area and at Highway 60 near Valley Road.

High winds and dry conditions are reported to have contributed to the fires getting out of hand.

Kolb said some controlled burns from last fall went underground and have been whipped up again this spring due to the heavy winds. Other fires were caused by people burning rubbish or old trees and the conditions made the blazes worse.

A fire ban has since been put in place by the RM until further notice, depending on when conditions improve.

“My understanding is the people can phone up and (provincial officials) will review the weather and conditions in the area and then they’ll decide whether to give you the burn permit or not,” Kolb explained.

He said those calls must be made before the fire is started, but can be approved the day of. The RM is not in charge of controlled burns, and Kolb explained regulations around them are largely the responsibility of the province.

In an email, the SPSA said controlled burns should be reported to “reduce the likelihood that firefighters or other resources are unnecessarily dispatched.”

Provincial legislation, however, does not require controlled burns to be reported “unless they meet the requirements for a burn notification number as defined in the Wildfire Act.” Some RM’s list their own restrictions around open burning within their jurisdiction.

Those who do call to report they’re doing a controlled burn will be asked questions about where they’re located, who their fire service provider is, what they’re burning, how long the burn will last and their contact information. They will also be asked to call back once the burn is complete.

Krayetski said the list of questions the call taker asks will help raise awareness for the caller about whether it’s safe for them to proceed with their controlled burn.

“Regardless of whether a controlled burn is registered, any individual who lights a fire is responsible for ensuring it is safe to light the fire,” the SPSA said in an email.

Burn notifications within 4.5 km of the provincial forest or in the forest are required.

While there is no requirement to report a controlled burn to the province, Krayetski said the controlled burn line is very busy come springtime once the snow has melted.

She said controlled burns and burning in fields can generate big flames and lots of smoke, and can result in people calling in and reporting a fire. This is an incentive for people to register their burn, she noted, as fire departments may respond to such an incident if they don’t know it’s a controlled burn.

Most volunteer and some professional fire departments do charge for unwarranted responses, which would fall to the individual who owns the land.

“It is a public education, public awareness piece when it comes to the controlled burns,” Krayetski said.

Kolb estimated about seven or eight fires have already happened this year in their RM.

“I know there’s been quite a few fires this spring already,” he said.

When a fire becomes uncontrolled, a person will be billed to recoup the cost of battling the blaze by the RM. Kolb said the RM will bill a person or company after the RM has been billed by the fire department or departments who responded to the fire.

Individuals can be billed up to $30,000, with the RM covering any costs beyond that. Some will pay those bills over a period of time.

“A lot of individuals will carry insurance that will cover a large portion of that,” Kolb said.

Total costs billed to a property owner have increased steadily over the past decade in the RM of Corman Park. In 2012, the total costs billed by the RM amounted to $133,152.55. In 2020, the most recent year of billings listed, that jumped to $705,341.55.

The highest bill in 2020, which Kolb said was commercial, was $194,714.87, though the majority of bills — 33 out of 53 — are under $5,000.

Kolb said the RM has been fairly successful at recouping most of those billing amounts.

To report a controlled burn, the province asks people to call 1-866-404-4911. The line is answered 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.