According to the municipality of Bergen, due to the reduced fire risk in the area, the emergency ban on the use of fire outdoors in the municipalities of Bergen, Osterøy, Vaksdal and Samnanger is lifted. The repeal took effect on Friday, June 23.
This means that from June 23, from 12.00, it is allowed to light a bonfire or barbecue on focal and grill places prepared by the communes, as well as in public parks and open areas, as well as on prepared swimming pools, where no other rules apply.
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“We still strongly advise against lighting bonfires or barbecuing if fire safety cannot be guaranteed,” says fire chief Janicke Larsen.
The rain has reduced the fire risk
The amount of rainfall that has fallen in the last 24 hours has reduced the fire risk in the upper layers of the terrain. However, it is dry in the depths of the earth, according to the information of the Meteorological Institute. According to the weather report, a yellow warning may apply again in our municipalities, but this will not maintain the extraordinary ban. More rainfall is forecast next week.
– We note that there may still be large differences within municipalities. A little rain may have fallen in some places, which causes the area to dry out faster. So it's important to take local conditions into account.
Follow these tips
You can now light a bonfire as long as it is within a reasonable distance of buildings, forest areas, vegetation, and other combustible materials. Follow these tips to safely light a fire in the middle of summer:
- Consider fire risk and wind conditions
- If you are not the landowner, be sure to get permission from the landowner to start a fire
- The person who lights the fire is always responsible for fire safety
- The fire must be at a sufficient distance from buildings and vegetation
- Do not light a fire on bare rock as this causes permanent damage to the rock
- The fire must be built with pure wood products. It is forbidden to burn plastic or building materials
- The fire can be so large that you can put it out quickly if necessary
- Make sure children keep a safe distance from the fire
- Do not use gasoline or similar substances for ignition
- Provide easy access to plenty of water to extinguish the fire
- A sober, responsible adult must ensure that the fire is completely extinguished before leaving the site
However, the general smoking ban still applies
From April 15 to September 15, there is still a general smoking ban in or near forests and other open spaces. This involves the use of all kinds of grills, kitchens, campfires, disposable grills and hearths, to name a few. Everyone is also obliged to exercise caution and act in such a way that a fire does not occur. This applies to everyone, anytime, anywhere.
– Thank you very much to our residents who listened to us and respected the ban. We really appreciate that, says fire chief Janicke Larsen.
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Source: Municipality of Bergen
