11Fire bans in bad weather

11 Fire bans in bad weather (1) This section applies if the Minister is satisfied that the existing or forecasted weather conditions mean a fire would— (a) cause excessive environmental harm; or (b) unnecessarily increase pollutants in the air. (2) The Minister may, in writing, declare that the lighting, using or maintaining of a fire in the open air is prohibited for the period stated in the declaration. (3) A declaration may be expressed to apply to all or part of the ACT. (4) The declaration must be— (a) notified in a public notice; or (b) broadcast in the ACT by a national or commercial broadcasting service. Note Public notice means notice on an ACT government website or in a daily newspaper circulating in the ACT (see Legislation Act, dict, pt 1). (5) A person commits an offence if the person contravenes a declaration. (6) Subsection (5) does not apply if the person had a reasonable excuse. (7) This section does not apply to a fire only for cooking or heating food or drink.

(8) An offence against this section is a strict liability offence.