Burning Safety

Spring and summer are considered the "Grass Fire Season". With a little common sense and by following some basic rules, you can keep your fires under control and hopefully you will not need to call us!

You are open burning any time you light an outdoor fire. In the past, many materials including leaves, tree trimmings, tires, and construction debris were routinely burned outdoors. Because of toxic fumes, people with breathing difficulties and maintaining air quality standards, laws have been enacted to limit many kinds of open burning with special EPA permits. Municipalities are restricted areas for open burning unless it falls under that permitted by EPA and state law: cooking for human consumption (barbecues, campfires, cookouts), heating tar, welding and acetylene torches, smudge pots, and heating for warmth of outdoor workers and strikers (use of clean wood in 55 gallon drum). By notifying the Ohio EPA in advance, ceremonial fires can be set for limited periods of time. (Fires are limited in size to 5' X 5' and may not burn for more than three hours).

With prior permission from the EPA firefighters are allowed to burn buildings etc., for training purposes. City residents are allowed to burn campfires in a 3' X 3' area with clean burning wood. These fires would be for recreational purposes or cooking only and the fire department should be notified ahead of time in case they are called out to enforce any open burning laws. Remember to make sure any campfire is monitored continually and fully extinguished before you leave.

If you need more information or have any questions, please email Mark Marentette or call the fire division at or 419-782-2271.

Burning Regulations Per Ordinance 1511
No person or property owner shall cause or allow open burning in a restricted area except as provided in the following:

• Cooking for human consumption
• Heating tar, welding, acetylene torches, highway safety flares, heating for warmth of outdoor workers and strikers, smudge pots and similar occupational needs.

Fires allowed in the above, shall not be used for waste disposal purposes and shall be of minimum size sufficient for their intended purpose; the fuel shall be chosen to minimize the generation and emission of air contaminants.

Open burning permission for other purposes not listed above can be made through the EPA.

Bonfires & Outdoor Rubbish Fires
Burning of rubbish shall be prohibited except in approved incinerators. Bonfires may be permitted only under the following conditions and subject to the air pollution provisions listed under this chapter.

A person shall not kindle or maintain any bonfire or authorize any such fire to be kindled or maintained on any premises without having obtained a permit or other proper authorization from the Fire Official. All permits shall be requested by and issued to the owner of the land upon which the bonfire is to be kindled.

A person shall not kindle or maintain any bonfire or authorize any such fire to be kindled or maintained unless:

• The location is approved by the Fire Official and is not less than fifty feet from the structure and adequate provision is made to prevent fire from spreading to within fifty feet of any structure; or
• The fire is contained in an approved burner located safely not less than fifteen feet from any structure.

Fuel for bonfires shall consist of seasoned dry wood only and shall be ignited with a small quantity of paper only. Bonfires shall not contain any rubbish, garbage, trash, any material made of or coated with rubber, plastic, leather, or petroleum-based materials and shall not contain any flammable or combustible liquids. The allowable quantity of wood to be burnt shall be determined by the Fire Official and shall be based upon the fire safety requirements of the situation and the desirable duration of burn.

Bonfires shall be constantly attended by a competent person until such fire is extinguished. This person shall have fire extinguishing equipment readily available for use as deemed necessary by the Fire Official. The Fire Official may prohibit any or all bonfires when atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make such fire hazardous or which are or could be offensive or objectionable due to smoke or odor emissions.

The Fire Official shall order the extinguishment, by the permit holder or the Fire Division, of any bonfire which creates or add to a hazardous or objectionable situation.

Penalty
Whoever violates any provision of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree and shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned not more than sixty days, or both.