Mike Vadlja, Huntsville’s Fire Prevention Officer and Community Emergency Management Coordinator, says consistent rain will be needed before Muskoka’s fire danger rating can be lowered.
The rating has been raised to high.
No daytime burning is allowed, which means no fires are allowed between 8 AM and 6 PM. Vadlja suggests reaching out to your area’s fire department for other rules you must follow.
“We’re asking people to be really cautious if they are burning,” Vadlja adds.
If you are starting a fire, he says it’s vital that you always have someone watching it and put it out fully before leaving the area. Vadlja adds that you should have the proper tools nearby to put the fire out in case things start to get out of hand.
“The conditions are changing really quickly,” Vadlja goes on to say. “Things are drying up quickly with the low humidity and the warmer temperatures that we’re seeing.”
“This is quite normal for this time of year, especially before the green-up period,” he continues. “Things dry out really quickly. It’s always a matter of waiting for mother nature to give us some rain.”
Over the weekend Vadlja points out that multiple fires were battled, including the Gravenhurst Fire Department taking care of a 300′ by 200′ grass fire at Heintzman Gate in Kilworthy Saturday morning. “It just shows you how quickly things can change,” he says.