Careless brush burning has been the cause of many wildfires. There are other alternatives to burning such as chipping and mulching.

If you must burn brush do it safely.

	Remove all vegetation within 3 m of your firepit.
	Firepit is located well away from structures and vegetation.
	Make sure there is little or no wind that can blow sparks or ash towards structures or vegetation.
	Use a barrel to burn small brush . Make sure it is good condition and at least 3 m away from vegetation. Use steel rods or pipes to hold the burning material up from the bottom of the barrel. Ensure a metal mesh screen (with openings no larger than 5mm) has been placed over the barrel opening.
	Keep fire fighting tools on hand; ( a charged garden hose, shovel, rake, buckets)
	Soak ashes well and let sit in a metal container for at least 24 hours before disposing them in a pit.

Abridged from: "It Could Happen to you!- How to Protect your Home." Courtesy of the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Commission. and "FireSmart Protecting your Community from Wildfire". Alberta Land and Forest Service.

If you would like more information on how you can reduce the risk of losing your home to wildfire. You can reach us by email . or by mail at :

The Forest Protection Division
Fire Management Group
NS Dept of Natural Resources
PO Box 130
Shubenacadie East
Nova Scotia, Canada. B0N 2H0