For almost 50 years now, our family has regularly conducted evening campfires with marshmallow roasts and wienie roasts along the edge of Whitefish Lake and below high-water mark.

Several days ago, we were roasting marshmallows, and we had the garden hose handy and a pail handy so we could put out our fire when finished, as we have always done. There were other fires visible around the lake as there usually are on warm summer evenings.

The police reported a fire call and ordered us to put our fire out immediately and suggested the city ordinance bans all open fires within Whitefish city limits.

I am confused. I don't believe the ground below the high-water mark is within Whitefish city limits — am I wrong?

I believe these friendly camp fires have been conducted for years by many persons along the lakeshore, and the recent Pilot reports the comment of our chief of police to the effect that Whitefish has just annexed the surface of the lake (but not the ground under the lake), but that city regulations about open containers should not be enforced against boaters because of "a tradition of social drinking on boats."

Isn't there also a tradition of roasting marshmallows and wieners over a camp fire on the lakeshore? Isn't this a tradition that should be allowed and shouldn't the ordinance be amended?

Irene Jones

Whitefish