Council weighs year-round burn permits, equipment upgrades, and stretched fire response capacity
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Fire services came under minor heat last week as councillors debated a new fire prevention bylaw while also reviewing response times, operational pressures, and requests across the municipality.
The proposed bylaw would apply across all of Tantramar, replacing older rules that previously applied only to Sackville. It sets out when permits are required for different categories of open burning, how permits are issued and enforced, and shifts enforcement authority to municipal fire and bylaw officers following amalgamation.
It also introduces compliance requirements for items such as outdoor wood furnaces, with inspections to ensure installations meet standards and a compliance deadline of September 30, 2026. One key point of debate was whether residents should be required to obtain burn permits during winter months.
Councillor Barry Hicks questioned the need for permits between November and April.
“I understand that a burning permit is required for category 2, 3 and 4 fires. What I don’t agree with is requiring a municipal permit from November to April. We should be following provincial regulations that allow burning during the winter months.”
Fire Chief Craig Bowser told council the municipality is still reviewing that approach and has requested legal input on whether year-round permitting is feasible.
“Councillor Hicks is correct. The Department of Natural Resources currently issues burning permits from the third Monday in April to October 31. We’ve asked legal whether this could apply year-round so we can better understand when larger fires are being set outside that season.”
Questions also arose around how amalgamation has affected enforcement. Councillor Allison Butcher asked whether there may have been a gap in responsibility during the transition.
“I’m looking for clarification on your comment that DNR no longer issues permits now that we are a town. Since amalgamation, has there been a gap or were permits still being issued? If someone applied last summer in a former LSD area, would they have been able to get one?”
Bowser said it is unclear how permit requests were handled during that period but confirmed that enforcement authority now rests with the municipality.
“I’m not aware how that was handled during the transition from January 1, 2023 to now. What we did determine last wildfire season is that, as a municipality, DNR no longer has jurisdiction to lay charges. That responsibility falls to our fire service or bylaw officers.”
New pump proposed for Dorchester fire service
Council also heard a request from the Dorchester Fire Department to purchase a new high-volume portable pump.
The pump would allow crews to draw water from lakes, rivers and other remote sources – particularly important in rural areas without hydrants. It would also support tanker operations during structure fires and wildfires.
Captain Dennis Reid of the Dorchester Fire Department explained how the equipment works.
“All tanker pumpers come with a built-in pump, but this is a portable unit. It allows us to access remote water sources like lakes or rivers that aren’t close to the truck, and then relay that water to a truck or directly to a fire.”
The proposed equipment would also help standardize setups across Dorchester’s tanker fleet, improving flexibility when responding to calls across the municipality.
Response times highlight service pressure
Council also reviewed a monthly fire report covering 25 calls across the municipality.
In one case, response time reached 19 minutes because crews were handling two incidents at the same time.
“We had one call with a 19-minute response time because we had two calls happening at the same time.”
Other calls also exceeded a 14-minute response target due to travel distances, particularly in areas outside former local service district boundaries.
“Three other calls exceeded the 14-minute response time due to travel distances, including highway calls and areas outside our former coverage zones.”
At least one call had fewer than six responders on scene, pointing to potential staffing pressures during peak demand.
Bylaw still under consideration
The fire prevention bylaw has not yet been finalized and is expected to return to council in April for further readings.
If adopted, it would establish consistent fire regulations across Tantramar, while raising broader questions about enforcement, rural service coverage, and long-term fire protection capacity.
Clinton Davis is a community journalist and audio producer covering the people, events, and ideas shaping the Tantramar region.
