PENNFIELD CHARTER TOWNSHIP

GUIDELINES FOR BURNING IN PENNFIELD TOWNSHIP

The following guidelines apply to the open burning of trees, brush, grass, wood, and any other natural vegetation.

1. All open burning requires a verbal or written permit issued to the landowner. Burning permits are good for only the day that it is issued. No permit is required when burning in an approved container.
2. Only grass, leaves, and brush are allowed to be burned. Paper can be burned in a metal or masonry constructed burner. No building materials, rubber, or garbage are to be burned. No hazardous waste or material shall be burned. Oils, rubber, tarpaper, asphalt shingles, tires, railroad ties, treated wood, pesticide containers, materials containing asbestos, coated electrical wire, and any other material creating unreasonable amounts of smoke or air pollutants may not be burned.
3. Open burning should be conducted between DAWN and DUSK. This allows for good smoke dispersion. An open burn should be extinguished completely to ensure smoldering of material does not persist. You are not allowed to burn at night.
4. Common sense precautions, such as having someone watching the fire until it is extinguished and assuring smoke does not impact residences or impair vehicular travel should be followed. Open burning should not obscure visibility or create a traffic hazard on any public road.
5. The Fire Official shall prohibit all burning due to periods of smoke dispersion, excessive visibility impairment, or during periods of extreme fire danger where weather conditions that make such fires hazardous or offensive.
6. All open burning shall be at least fifty (50) feet away from any structure. You must have available any necessary equipment (i.e., water supply, water hose, shovel, sand, etc.) to control the burn and to put out the fire if the need arises. You must completely extinguish the fire before leaving it unattended.
7. All piles are to be no larger than four feet in diameter and four feet tall. Only one pile at a time is to be burned.
8. Your material to be burned shall be dry, readily combustible, and placed in any of the following arrangements in such quantities that it will be completely consumed within the permitted burn hours.
        •  Piled
        •  Collected in a pit
        •  Placed in an approved waste burner
        •  Ignited in place
9. You may start your burn using items such as matches, flares, or hand held torches fueled by liquefied petroleum gas such as propane or butane. You may not start your fire using tires, tar paper, oil, or liquefied petroleum products such as gasoline or diesel. You may not use any ignition device that causes the production of black smoke.

Anyone in violation of the above rules and regulations may be required to extinguish the fire. Continued abuse can result in a fine and/or the loss of any future burn permit being issued to the landowner. You may be responsible for any damage caused by a fire started by your open burning, and may be subject to civil penalties from these damages. If you have any questions regarding these guidelines, please contact the Fire Department between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.