Maroondah Council to reconsider outdoor fire ban amid thousands of complaints

UPDATE: PEOPLE power has won out in Melbourne’s outer east, with news a controversial law banning chimeneas and fire pits will be reversed.

Maroondah’s fire pit ban has sparked a torrent of objections.

PEOPLE power has won out in Maroondah, after councillors agreed to amend a new law banning chimeneas and fire pits.

Councillors were left red-faced, with many admitting they didn’t fully understand the outdoor fire law when unanimously voting for it last October.

RELATED: Maroondah Council bans outdoor fires for heating

The law came into force on January 1, but is expected to be quashed in June following a special meeting last night.

Outdoor heaters will be allowed, unless unsafe or a nuisance to neighbours.

Croydon mother Sue Daniel, who was issued a warning about her fire pit on May 7, hailed it a “win for common sense”.

“Everyone has respect for everyone else and I thought I was doing the right thing, that was the worst thing,” Ms Daniel said.

“Now at least everyone will know the rules.”

Debate ignited when the council posted a warning about it on its Facebook page.

Just hours after Mayor Natalie Thomas told Maroondah Leader the council would be standing by the ban, she took to Facebook to announce a special meeting on Thursday night.

“The response over recent days has clearly indicated we need to reconsider the change made to this item,” her post reads.

Under the change, people faced fines of up to $2000 for lighting outdoor fires unless for cooking, with officers already issuing warnings to people breaking the rules.

More than 5000 people have voted in a Maroondah Leader online poll this week, with 94 per cent saying the ban was an over-reaction.

A petition has also been started to overturn the local law.

Creator Melanie Webber said the law was a “violation of our civil liberties” and was done without proper consultation.

Cr Thomas said while recent feedback would be taken into account, there were 93 complaints to the council about burning off and open fires last year which must also be considered.

“There are some people … who are not happy with this change to the local law, but we’re not hearing comments from the many people who were so aggrieved they called the council’s out of hours emergency number to complain and seek clean air quality in their homes,” Cr Thomas said.

Mick Fitzsimons is one of thousands of people unhappy with Maroondah Council's outdoor fire ban. Picture: Steve Tanner

“This is a very serious amenity issue for our residents and is certainly a health issue.”

Cr Thomas said the draft law was put on public exhibition from October 23 to November 20 last year and was available at the council’s three service centres and on the website. It was also promoted online and sent to the media, she said.

Many councillors have admitted they did not fully understand the wording of the initial document when voting on it.

Three have vowed to reword the law to allow chimeneas and fire pits.

Cr Nora Lamont said she thought the change referred only to incinerators but was now seeking to rectify it.

“If I had known it referred to the use of private burning in a fire pit or chimenea I would never have voted for it,” she said.

Cr Rob Steane said it was an error in the wording of the local law, but “it would be fixed” and Cr Mary-Anne Lowe is also advocating for the law to be reversed.

“The council cannot sit on our hands as we head into the coldest months. Our mayor needs to show leadership,” Cr Lowe said.