Chapter 7.20
OUTDOOR BURNING

Sections:

7.20.010    Burning permitted.

7.20.020    Burn permits.

7.20.030    Compliance rules.

7.20.035    Unlawful disposal—Incinerators.

7.20.040    Violation—Penalty.

7.20.010 Burning permitted.

There shall be no outdoor burning within the city except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 659 § 1 (part), 1995).

7.20.020 Burn permits.

(a)    Prior to initiating any outdoor burning, the property owner or occupant shall obtain a written burn permit from the city clerk’s office.

(b)    The burn permit shall:

(1)    Provide the name, address and telephone number of the applicant;

(2)    Specify the location of the burn;

(3)    Be acknowledged by the applicant that all burn rules will be complied with.

(c)    A permit, once issued for a specific location shall remain valid through December 31st in the year of its issuance.

(d)    No permit shall be required for outdoor burning for the purpose of disposal of tumbleweeds blown by wind. (Ord. 659 § 1 (part), 1995).

7.20.030 Compliance rules.

All burning must comply with the following rules.

(a)    There shall be no burning or outdoor fires on days designated as “air pollution episode days” by the appropriate governmental authority, including the state of Washington or Franklin County.

(b)    There shall be no burning during any of the following periods:

(1)    When winds exceed ten miles per hour, except when the permittee obtains the permission of the city fire chief;

(2)    When temperatures are extremely high or low humidity conditions exist. High temperatures means temperatures greater than 95°F and low humidity lower than twenty percent;

(3)    When meteorological conditions are not conducive to good smoke dispersal. Burning shall be done when a breeze removes the smoke from roads, homes or public areas to the greatest extent possible.

(c)    A least one responsible person, at least eighteen years old, is required to attend and control any open burning as a fire monitor until such time as the fire has been completely extinguished. This individual shall have in his/her possession, while attending and controlling the open burn, a shovel or hoe and a charged hose or other water source sufficient to extinguish the fire. A fire break shall be created when a charged hose or other water source is not otherwise available.

(d)    The fire shall be located not less than twenty feet from any structure or power or telephone pole, and shall have an adequate fire break around the fire.

(e)    No person shall start or maintain a fire upon land belonging to another person without written permission of the landowner or landowner’s agent.

(f)    None of the following material shall be burned: garbage, dead animals, asphalt, petroleum products, paints, rubber products, plastics, treated wood, paper products, cardboard, metal, construction debris, rubbish or any substance which emits dense smoke or obnoxious odors.

(g)    The fire may not be started until after eight a.m. and shall be extinguished one hour before sundown.

(h)    The fire must be extinguished at any time the fire creates a public hazard or materially interferes with the rights of other persons to enjoy their property.

(i)    The city fire chief, building inspector, public works director and any city police officer shall have authority to order that any fire be immediately extinguished based upon that persons belief of a potential danger or safety problem. (Ord. 659 § 1 (part), 1995).

7.20.035 Unlawful disposal—Incinerators.

It is unlawful for any person to bury, burn, dump, collect, remove, or in any other manner dispose of garbage or swill upon any street, alley or public place or private property within the city otherwise than as provided in this chapter. Organic waste may be burned on private property in commercially operated incinerators approved by the Washington State Department of Ecology and the city fire chief. All ashes from such incinerators shall be placed in garbage cans for removal by the refuse collector at such times as shall be necessary. (Ord. 850 § 5, 2009).

7.20.040 Violation—Penalty.

Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a civil infraction and upon a finding that the infraction has been committed, shall be assessed a civil penalty of not more than one hundred dollars. (Ord. 659 § 1 (part), 1995).