Burning Requirements
- Burn permits are required within the city and may be obtained by calling 371-0170 during normal business hours and returning the signed form by fax or in person.
- Bonfires require a refundable deposit of $100 that will be returned upon safe completion. Required intervention by the fire department or reasonable complaints may require forfeiture of the deposit.
- The following requirements must be met for a permit to be issued.
Clearing of Land for Development Purposes:
- Land must be 20 acres or more.
- The burn site shall be no closer than 500 feet from any occupied building, roadway, walkway, or other locations as determined by the Fire Marshal.
- Burning shall not be permitted before 7:00 am or after dark.
- Materials to be burned must be natural vegetation native to the site. No materials may be brought from other sites to be burned.
- The use of an air curtain destructor is required. Factors such as pit size, etc., shall be in compliance with manufacturer’s specifications.
Property Clean-Up:
- Land must be 3 acres or more.
- Burn site shall be no closer than 300 feet from any adjacent lot or tract with a residential dwelling or occupied structure.
- Materials to be burned must be natural vegetation native to the site. No materials may be brought from other sites to be burned.
- The use of an air curtain destructor may be required by the Fire Marshal based on the size and location of the burn, and other relevant safety issues.
Universal Requirements:
- There shall be a qualified party assigned the sole duty of attending the fire from the time it is started until it is extinguished.
- Equipment (backhoe, bulldozer, tractor, etc.) capable of controlling the fire, along with a trained operator, is required if there is no water source with a hose to access all areas of the burn site.
- The issuance of a burn permit shall not relieve responsible persons from the obligation to comply with applicable State and Federal regulations.
- Burn permits may be temporarily suspended during periods of extremely dry weather, windy conditions, or when smoke becomes a nuisance, as determined by the Fire Chief.