Open burning in the city limits is prohibited without a burning permit from the Fire Prevention Bureau. Recreation fires or campfires are allowed in the city with restrictions.
(A) OPEN BURNING is the burning of any matter if the resulting combustion products are emitted directly into the atmosphere without passing through a stack, duct or chimney, except a recreational or campfire as defined herein. Mobile cooking devices such as charcoal grills, wood smokers, manufactured hibachis, and propane or natural gas devices are not considered open burning devices.
(B) RECREATIONAL FIRE OR CAMPFIRE SITE is an area of no more than a three-foot diameter circle (as measured from the inside of the fire ring or border); completely surrounded by non-combustible and non-smoke or odor producing material, either natural rock, cement, brick, tile, blocks or ferrous metal. Burning barrels are not a recreational fire site as defined herein. RECREATIONAL FIRE SITES shall not be located closer than 25 feet to any structure or combustible materials.
(C) RECREATIONAL FIRE or CAMPFIRE is a fire for recreational, ceremonial, or social food preparation conducted under the following restrictions:
(1) The fire is set only with an approved starter fuel;
(2) The fire is no more than three feet in height and contained within a recreational fire site;
(3) The fire burns using only dry, clean wood, producing little detectable smoke, odor or soot beyond the property line, tree brush and grass clippings are prohibited;
(4) The fire is conducted by a person at least 18 years of age tending the fire at all times;
(5) Fire extinguishing equipment such as an operable fire extinguisher, buckets, shovels or garden hoses must be readily available and located within ten feet of the recreational fire site;
(6) No more than one recreational fire is allowed on a property at one time;
(7) No recreational fire or campfire is allowed when wind speeds exceed 15 miles per hour based on weather channel reports for sustained winds at the time of the fire or if a burning restriction is issued by the Fire Prevention Bureau or The Minnesota DNR;
(8) A recreational fire may only be conducted between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight with a maximum duration of six hours per recreational fire;
(9) A recreational fire or campfire must burn cleanly in a manner that does not cause objectionable smoke beyond the property line, as determined by a Fire Prevention Bureau Official or a police officer; and
(10) The fire must be extinguished completely and not allowed to smolder before quitting the occasion.
(D) Any person burning in violation of this section will be instructed by a Fire Prevention Official or Law Enforcement Officer to immediately extinguish fire and may be issued an administrative fine established in the City Fee Schedule in § 35.01.
(Ord. 11-05-01, passed 5-19-11) Penalty, see § 10.99