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Council adopts amended first-reading language to prohibit hazardous fire use during fire season
Summary
Council adopted red-lined amendments to Ordinance 3258 (AMC 10.30) on first reading to create misdemeanor sanctions during fire season for unlawful fires that require the fire department to extinguish them, while clarifying exemptions for lawful portable cooking devices.
The Ashland City Council adopted amended language on first reading to Ordinance 3258 (an amendment to Ashland Municipal Code Chapter 10.30) intended to provide criminal sanctions for certain unlawful fires during wildfire season.
Tighe O'Meara and Acting City Attorney Doug McGeary explained that currently there is no criminal liability in some circumstances where an unlawful fire is extinguished before real property damage occurs. The proposed changes create a misdemeanor during fire season when the fire department must be called to extinguish an unlawful fire, while the ordinance language also clarifies that lawful use of portable cooking devices is permitted in designated picnic or recreation areas unless otherwise restricted by fire danger or burn bans.
Staff cited case law and similar changes by other municipalities, and noted the ordinance targets periods of heightened wildfire risk. Public testimony during the hearing was none. Councilor Kaplan moved, Councilor Hansen seconded the motion to amend Ordinance 3258 for first reading by adopting the red-lined changes, including clarification in AMC 10.30.060.A.3 and the new definition in AMC 10.30.005. Roll call vote: Knauer, Dahle, DuQuenne, Kaplan and Hansen — YES. Motion passed.
