Note...The city of Barrie, Ontario, Canada, recently said NO to banning outdoor open air burns. Mostly these outdoor open air burns were fueled by wood. Woodsmoke saturated air aimlessly drifts over all the residents of Barrie everyday. But, many Barrie residents are saying...enough is enough. Ban ALL outdoor open air burns..NOW!
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From the Barrie Examiner:
April 15, 2010
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Fires not fun for neighbours
Posted By
Posted 8 hours ago
(Re: "Shut your windows," in the April 10 edition of the Examiner)
Chimineas should have been banned two years ago when the first debate in council was held.
I lobbied my Ward 7 councillor (John Brassard) in this regard, to no avail.
Thank you to Alex Harvey and Jennifer Mills for their common sense approach to this nuisance and health concern.
Coun. Lynn Strachan, thank you for your concerns, as well. Keep it going.
What mentality needs to light a fire when the humidex is in the high 30s to 40s, the air quality is dangerously high and we are asked to keep our air conditioners at a minimum due to hydro consumption at a peak.
Not to mention sparks flying on top of neighbouring roofs.
To Sue Watson I say: "I may have to keep my windows closed, but I will never shut my mouth (as suggested by you in your letter) as long as my taxes are paid and the Canadian flag flies in my country."
If you want to pollute the air and cause your neighbours distress, then by all means move to the bush.
People living on 30-and 40- foot lots should not be allowed to light fires for any reason. Cook your hot dogs on the stove in your kitchen.
To Daryl Bradshaw, I am so thankful that I live in a city knowing there are firefighters at the ready if I need them. I have lived in Barrie for 48 years and have never seen fire trucks driving around aimlessly.
Hopefully, city councillors can make a decision for a change and ban these health hazards once and for all.
Why it has to go on for another two years is extremely poor judgment.
Doris Falkeisen Barrie
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Looking for relief from the smoke
Posted By
Posted 8 hours ago
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
(Re: "Chiminea group fighting for freedom," in the April 8 edition of the Examiner)
We have been all through this with cigarette smoking -- freedom to poison the air of others.
My wife and I, in our seventies, have spent many evenings the last three years unable to enjoy our backyard due to heavy smoke pollution from neighbours enjoying their campfires.
On the hottest, stillest nights, we have been forced to keep our windows shut, overheated from the day's sunshine, and still the smoke penetrates into our home.
My wife is on medication and puffers for lung congestion, and after spending eight hours from eight o'clock in the evening, to three o'clock in the morning breathing in the toxic fumes, she spends the next several days with a terrible cough and throat congestion.
The smoke bothers me as well, as both of us must use unscented soaps and cleaning fluids.
The provincial and federal governments have information related to wood-burning smoke that details particulates and cancer-causing chemicals released in the smoke. As well, burning wood produces tons of carbon dioxide that the experts tell us is causing global warming.
Breathing in this smoke is extremely unhealthy for yourselves, your children, and your neighbours.
This city has banned burning leaves in the fall due to pollution, banned smoking around others for health reasons, and should not allow wood smoke to be forced into our lungs.
We require the freedom to enjoy clean air, to be able to enjoy our backyard every summer night, and to be able to sleep comfortably at night with our windows wide open for clean, fresh air.
There is a better way to enjoy a backyard fire.
There are gas outdoor fire places available that do not harm the health of others, and are safe for all to use.
Gary Taylor Barrie Barrie
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City should ban chimineas right now
Posted By
Posted 5 days ago
Letter to the Editor
(Re: "Chiminea ban the last straw" in April 3 edition of the Examiner)
Regarding Steve Chapman's letter concerning the ban of chiminea backyard appliances.
I just want to say that I wish the City of Barrie would ban them immediately instead of making me suffer two more seasons with those smelly, smoking firepits, until 2012. I wrote a previous letter concerning these backyard fire contraptions and the health issues associated with burning wood. Not only did I mention the health aspect, but also the cost to the taxpayers of Barrie to attend all the false fire calls. The City of Barrie issued 4,500 permits for these devices and every night in the spring, summer, or fall I have to suffer breathing thick smoke in my townhouse, or I have to shut every window in my house.
I am upset these chimineas were allowed to be used in Barrie in the first place.
At least towns like Newmarket were smart enough to ban them before the problem started.
If the people in Barrie want backyard cookouts over a wood fire, let them go rent a campsite and let us breathe clean air.
Alex Harvey Barrie
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No chiminea ban means gas masks
Posted By
Posted 42 mins ago
April 16, 2010
I am very disappointed that Barrie City Council decided not to ban chimineas totally and forever. If my councillor voted to keep these smelly backyard chimineas, he will never get my vote again.
You reported that there were 202 calls for fire assistance for these chimineas in 2009 and that 10% of the calls were to the same address. Well, that makes at least 20 calls to the same address at $450 a visit. I would charge the homeowner of this property the $9,000 he owes the taxpayers of Barrie or put it on his next municipal tax bill. The fire chief of Barrie should stand up and demand that these chimineas be banned, now. Look at what these chimineas have done to our neighbourhood.
Now we have neighbours yelling and fighting with each other. With chimineas come the alcohol, loud music, cigarette and pot smoke, and loud voices. I'm moving to Newmarket if Barrie does not ban chimineas . The mayor of Barrie does not get my support either. Does anybody know where I can buy a good respirator or gas mask? I'm going to need one now that chimineas are not banned.
Margaret Swanson Barrie
Webmaster comment to above letter by Ms. Swanson. In addition to chimineas, you also want all outdoor open air burns banned. This includes outdoor wood boilers (OWB), wood burning fire pits, fireplaces, fire pots, fire rings, etc.
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Webmaster---The City of Barrie needs to hear these pleas. It is time to ban all outdoor open air burns...NOW!
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