Smoked out Sudburians hope to re-ignite debate over backyard fire permits

MarcLaplanteworries about the air he is breathing inside hisLively home, thanks to his neighbours enjoying the great outdoors around a backyard campfire.

"We'll go out in the day and come home late in the evening, and the street is cloudy with smoke," he says.

"Thenyou get home and the smell."

Laplantewas one of theSudburianswho worked with the Greater Sudbury fire department to develop a permitting system for backyard burning.

City council endorsed the idea in November 2015. Then staff tabled a bylaw in spring 2016, whichwould require an inspection and a $50 permit before a backyard fire would be permitted.

That prompted an outcry from the public, who signed petitions, commented on social media, called their citycouncillorsand eventually drove them to call the original vote a "mistake" and scrap the whole plan.

ButLaplantestill feels there's a silent majority concerned about air quality as much as he is.

"I think there's a much larger public out there that has an opinion as well that don't want to voice much to it," he says.

Laplantepoints to the numerous cities that require burning permits or even have outright bans on yard fires, as well as Greater Sudbury's tough treatment of cigarette smoke, including banning it from parks and playgrounds.

"I can build an bonfire in my backyard, the wind can take all that smoke through and contaminate the entire park," he says.

"It's worse than cigarette smoke."

Greater Sudbury chief of fire and paramedic services TrevorBainsays burning complaints, which have to be called into 911, are up slightly in the last year, with trucks going out to about 350 calls.

ButBainsays it's very rare to issue tickets, as most citizens comply when firefighters show up.

He says the permitting system was partially inspired by the city's P6M project, a push to cut costs and increase revenues at city hall to the tune of $6 million, with the permits expected to bring in a few thousand dollars peryear.

Bainsays there has been no talk of revisiting the bylaw in the last year.

"We see it as status quo," Bain says.

"And there was no further direction given to us by council to make any changes."