Think twice about leaving an outdoor fire unattended in Chocolay Township.

More than likely, that’s not a good idea anywhere. An unwatched fire, if it gets out of hand, can spread, resulting in tragedy or at least loss of property or natural resources.

People enjoy their recreational fires, though, especially on the beach. Roasting marshmallows and watching the sun set over a lake is one of the quintessential ways of enjoying the outdoors.

However, that has to go hand in hand with safety.

The Chocolay Township Board of Trustees earlier this week passed a burning ordinance that stipulates permits from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources are required if outdoor fires are larger than a campfire.

It also stipulates fires must not be left unattended, and when they are extinguished, they have to be out cold. That means no embers, no lingering smoke.

The burning ordinance sprung from residents’ concerns about large fires on the beach that were not properly attended or put out.

The ordinance also takes the responsibility of enforcement from the zoning administrator to the police and fire departments. That makes sense, as they tend to be out and about the township a lot more and would be able to respond to an alleged violation more efficiently.

Chocolay Township features 12 miles of beaches along the Lake Superior shoreline. It also has lakes, streams and reservoirs throughout the Chocolay River and Sand River watersheds.

Those habitats are a main tourism draw for the township, and they need to be protected. Taking steps to ensure fires don’t get out of control is a good idea for adding another level of protection.