Sarnia Fire Rescue Services Chief John Kingyens says they're going to ask for public input because he feels the current backyard campfire rules need tweaking.
"Many of the complaints we get are about health concerns," says Chief Kingyens. "It's neighbours impacting the other neighbours. Sometimes the wind directions doesn't line up for a good smoke evacuation and sometimes the odours linger. If there's air quality warnings we want to cut back on the burns as well. And sometimes we're getting continuous burns for several days so the odours penetrate into the neighbours' dwellings and it becomes offensive. And we also have to think about people with vulnerable health issues."
Kingyens says they're going to ask for public input.
"The public is going to tell us what they're looking for and help us develop a good open burning bylaw and something that will work more effectively for everyone."
Chief Kingyens hopes to have a public input session in September.
Right now the city's open burning bylaw allows residents to burn wood in a small fire pit, no larger than two feet by two feet with a metal screen on top to prevent the release of ash and embers.
The bylaw allows burning for 13 hours a day, between 10am and 11pm. Fires must be at least three metres away from property lines and all buildings and only clean, dry firewood or charcoal briquettes are allowed. Burning pressure treated wood or creosoted wood is not allowed and the fire must be supervised at all times and extinguished when leaving.
If fire trucks have to respond to the same home several times, offenders can be billed for the time and expense of the call.