It’s that time of year to concentrate on cleaning up around the yard for the summer season that is fast approaching. Trees need to be trimmed, bushes need to be trimmed back, and leaves need to be raked up and moved somewhere.
It’s also a good time to check under decks, in eavestroughs and any other spaces that have the potential to accumulate pine needles, leaves or other debris.
A little bit of planning and preparation now can provide a vital firebreak in the event of a wildland fire near your home or cottage. Ensuring that there are fire resistant plants within 10 metres of your home, cutting any tree branches that are within two metres of the ground level and within 30 metres of your home, keeping gutters clean and cleaning any combustible materials out from under decks will greatly reduce the risk of a wildfire affecting your home.
Once you have gathered all those tree branches, leaves and other debris, it is recommended that you take it all to your local landfill. There, any yard waste will eventually be turned into compost and will be useful in keeping our area vibrant and healthy for generations to come!
“Many people will burn their yard waste in a fire pit in their yard,” said Douglas Holland, Fire Prevention Officer for the Muskoka Lakes Fire Department. “While this may be permitted under certain circumstances with limitations, we don’t recommend the practice.
“It takes very little for a small contained fire to get quickly out of hand and spread rapidly at this time of year. It is safer and provides for a cleaner environment to compost the material.”
If you do decide to have a small, controlled fire in your yard, make sure to check with your local bylaw department as to the open air burning regulations, and always check the Muskoka Forest Fire Danger Rating by calling toll free 1-877-847-1577.
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