By Serena Lapointe
Nearly a year ago, Whitecourt Town Council voted in favour of changing how residential fire
permits are attained, opting to switch what the permits are attached to. Rather than allowing
residents to get a permit for their property, the changes made in March last year linked permits
to an individual, specifically, the current homeowner.
The change was made to promote responsible burning practices while residents enjoy their pits,
while also ensuring that fire pits are placed in the right spot within a resident’s yard, far enough
from structures or trees. Changes also included safeguards to strengthen compliance with safe
burning requirements, including the type and size of fire pits. Details on the specifics can be
found at the end of this article.
However, the changes to the bylaw meant that residents who already had a permit would need
to re-register, no matter if someone had a permit for a couple of decades or a few short months.
Given that over time changes naturally happen, with new structures added within a yard space,
like decks and sheds, and that trees and plants get bigger, having a permit redo would help
residents make sure their fire pits were still in the safest spot they could be.
The fee for getting a fire permit is normally $26. Should a resident require an in-person
inspection from the Whitecourt Fire Department, the fee is $51. Since implementing the new
rules, only 89 residential fire pit permit applications have been sent into the town, leaving the
vast majority of the community’s backyard pits unpermitted and potentially creating risk.
To help encourage fire pit users to get a new permit, a new online application system is
expected to be up and running by the end of March. The system will allow residents to send in
their information, including pictures of their pits and surrounding yard, and measurements of the
pit, negating the need for the Whitecourt Fire Department personnel to make an in-person
inspection before approving a permit, as they used to do, unless, of course, it is needed.
Recognizing the importance of proper permits, Whitecourt Town Council asked administration to
explore incentives that would encourage residents to validate their backyard pits and re-register.
During the February 23 Regular Meeting, the elected officials approved a one-year grace period
where the fees for pit applications will be waived, meaning that residents who have not yet
applied for the new permit can do so for the next twelve months without paying a fee.
Residents can either go to the Town Office and apply in person or wait until the online portal is
up and running and apply that way. As long as their applications are fully completed and
accurate, with all required information and necessary photographs, the permit will be free of
charge. If the pictures provided don’t give a clear indication or if staff feel an in-person
inspection is best due to proximity or other factors, then the fees mentioned above would come
into effect for that specific resident.
For the 89 residents who complied with the rules and purchased a fire pit permit over the last
twelve months since the changes were made, a refund is coming once the online system is
launched, to help keep things fair.
During the meeting, Council discussed how the information would be shared with the public, in
hopes of reaching as many residents as possible within the grace period. Mayor Ray Hilts asked
if the promotion period would be comprehensive, to “make sure residents know what’s going
on.” Administration responded that it would be shared across social media platforms and other
municipality-controlled means of communication. Council asked that it be shared at spring and
summer events where possible, such as maybe Party in the Park, the Summer Park Parties or
the Town’s Canada Day celebrations.
Guidelines for fire pits in the Town of Whitecourt include that the opening cannot exceed one
meter in diameter and the non-combustible sides must be at least 30 centimetres above ground.
The pit itself must be on top of a non-combustible base, such as cement or stones, and the
base must extend out from under the pit, equal to the height of the pit. For example, if the pit is
2 feet tall, then a non-combustible material must extend out from the base by the same
distance, creating a safe zone under and around the pit.
Also required is the use of a metal mesh screen, with openings no larger than 1.25 centimetres,
to help reduce the hazards of sparks that, when not contained, often float off far from the pit. To
that end, there cannot be any combustible materials, such as trees, hanging overhead.
As for things in the vicinity, fire pits must be a minimum of three metres away from any property
line. Depending on the size of the fire pit, there must be a minimum clearance of 2.5 metres
from any structure or combustible materials, like trees and shrubs, for pits up to 0.7 metres in
diameter. If a fire pit is one meter in diameter, that distance rises to a minimum of three metres.
To snag a fire pit permit for free, residents can visit www.whitecourt.ca and search “fire permit”
and follow the guidelines on the form to install theirs. Then, with all required pictures and
measurements collected, they can either bring it to the Town Office or wait for the incoming
online portal in late March. Either way, don’t miss out on the opportunity to get a free permit to
replace the one you got years ago or as a new addition to the backyard, as fines for burning
without a permit are not cheap.
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