Open burning is permitted for the disposal of leaves located on the premises of private property by the residents of such property, provided the following conditions are met:

• Leaf burning shall be conducted in small piles (i.e., approximately three feet in diameter in a cleared area ten feet in diameter).

• Leaf burning shall be attended constantly until fire is completely extinguished.

• Water, sand, dirt or fire extinguishers shall be available at the burn site in quantity sufficient to completely extinguish the fire. (A charged water hose, one that is connected to a water source, is preferred and rake(s) and shovel(s) should also be available to control burn pile.)

• Burning shall not be conducted closer than 50 feet to any structure and provisions shall be made to ensure that fire does not spread to closer than 50 feet of any structure. Further, burning shall not be conducted closer than 250 feet from any occupied dwelling other than a dwelling located on the property where the leaf burning is being conducted (but not closer than 50 feet to any structure).

• Burning shall not occur in roadside ditches, on any public or private road nor in any public or private drainage facility.

• If burning is determined to be a nuisance and/or hazardous, etc., extinguishment may be required.

• Between February 15 and April 30, State forest laws prohibit open burning before 4:00 p.m. (may burn only until 9:00 p.m.).

• Burning should not be conducted during windy and/or dry periods.

• Burning is prohibited on local, state and federal legal holidays, as well as Sundays. Further, burning shall be prohibited between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m.

• Open burning is permitted for camp fires or other fires that are used solely for recreational purposes, for ceremonial purposes, for outdoor non-commercial preparation of food and for warming of outdoor workers. The public should contact the Department of Fire and Life Safety for guidance in these areas.

• Open burning of tree, yard and garden trimming that are collected by the County through regular roadside collections is prohibited.

• Open burning is not permitted for the disposal of household refuse by homeowners or tenants. Open burning shall not occur in environmentally sensitive areas.

• Violators of open burning regulations are subject to fines. In addition, if a fire gets out of control, those responsible may be liable for damages.

For authorization of other types of open burning (such as for purposes of land clearing, bonfires, etc.) contact the Department of Fire and Life Safety at 890-3600, weekdays from 8:15 - 5PM.

An alternative to burning is to have debris (including leaves) picked up by your collection service or taken to the Waste Management Center. For information regarding this, please contact the Waste Management Center at 890-3780.