Full burn ban Friday to help reduce risk while firefighters attend funeral

The County of Prince Edward will be under a full burn ban throughout the municipality from midnight Friday, April 25 until 12:01 a.m. Saturday, April 26.

A limited number of fire fighters will be available throughout the day on Friday, April 25 as they attend the funeral of Jim Young, Deputy Fire Chief for the City of Belleville and former long-serving fire fighter in Prince Edward County. Young served in the County for more than 30 years, starting as a volunteer firefighter at Station 1 (Picton) in 1992 and joining the full-time ranks in 2003. He became Belleville’s deputy chief in 2023.

Chief Chad Brown states the burn ban will reduce the risk of fires that require a response during this period of reduced staffing levels, but stresses “fire fighters will still be available to respond to fires and other emergencies. If you experience a fire or emergency, dial 911.”

Under a full burn ban, all fires including campfires, burn barrels, chimeneas, brush piles and yard waste are restricted.

Cooking devices that are designed to cook food with wood pellets or charcoal, such as smokers or grills, are permitted for use. Any cooking devices, outdoor fireplaces and fuel fired appliances that use propane or natural gas are also exempt from the burn ban.

All burn permits have been placed under restriction and the electronic system will not permit anyone to activate their permit for burning.