Council for the RM of Dufferin has passed a By-law that makes it easier to issue a burning ban.

In conjunction with area fire chiefs, council can institute a burning ban for a short period of time, and "take it off very quickly," said Dufferin Reeve George Gray.

"It wasn't a decision taken lightly," Gray added. "They wanted to make sure that the RM of Dufferin, the council, had control of instituting the by-law, and then declaring a burning ban and/or taking it off."

He said the number of fires and the extremely dry conditions led to the new By-law.

"With extreme dry weather we recognized that it was just time to do something," said Gray.

"Education is a huge component," he added, noting they'll be putting up signs in the four corners of the RM to let people know when a burning ban is in effect.

Recently, the RM of Dufferin received up to an inch and a half of rain in some areas, but Gray said that'll soon dry up with 30-degree temperatures. If conditions become very dry again, they may institute another fire ban soon, he added.

The By-law also states unlawful fires or damage to municipal property can result in fines up to $1,000, as well as the cost of reimbursement.

For more information, see the full By-law for the Education and Regulation of Fire Prevention.