Barrington officials will discuss legalizing backyard fire pits and chimineas at their next meeting. (Photo courtesy This Old House)
For years, hundreds of Barrington residents have stoked up backyard blazes despite the fact that they are illegal. Some folks have clung to a loophole in the current law that allows for people to have outdoor fires as long as they are used to cook food.
Recently, a Nayatt Road resident displayed quick wits when she tossed a hot dog on skewer to avoid a ticket from the police department; a neighbor had called the department complaining of smoke wafting into her home.
That is often how people learn of the town’s outdoor burning ordinance, said Barrington Town Manager Peter DeAngelis.
“It’s generally complaint-driven,” he added.
Mr. DeAngelis said the current ordinance is based primarily on air quality. He said the solicitor drafted a new ordinance that “loosens up the restrictions” and allows for recreational fires in chimineas and fire pits.
The town manager added that certain fire codes would still apply to residents even if the council agreed to the ordinance change.
“The fire pit must be at least 25 feet from combustibles,” said Mr. DeAngelis, referring to one section of the code.
Barrington Town Council member Bill DeWitt had requested a closer look at the ordinance during the August council meeting. He called the law a “government head-scratcher.”
“I don’t want people setting forest fires, but there should be a way for people to safely enjoy a fire pit or chiminea,” he said.
“Let’s figure out how we can make it work.”
Mr. DeWitt said he has long questioned the ordinance, specifically wondering why the law prohibits the fires — is it the smoke generated or the dangers posed by the small blazes or the sparks cordwood can throw when it is tossed into a fire?
There seemed no clear answer, and then three weeks ago Mr. DeWitt read a Barrington Times story about the Nayatt Road resident and her encounter with members of the town’s police and fire departments.
A few days later, during the Aug. 2 council meeting, Mr. DeWitt asked that the item be added to a future agenda. The rest of the council obliged and now the local official is hopeful that residents will be able to light fires in their chimineas and fire pits legally by mid-October. He said the fall is a great time to enjoy a back yard fire.
Mr. DeAngelis said safety and common sense need to rule supreme no matter what happens with the draft ordinance.
The town manager has lived in Barrington for many years and can recall a time when it was legal for residents to have outdoor fired whenever they wanted.
“I grew up when there were fires in barrels,” he said. “We also boiled tomatoes over open fires… Those were the days.
“I just want to make sure everyone is safe.”
And not just with chimineas. Mr. DeAngelis said residents need to be careful with their charcoal and gas grills — a hot grill nestled just inches from a house can pose a fire hazard.