Open Burning Ends March 1, 2016
Open burning of yard waste is scheduled to start on November 1, 2015 during daylight hours only and ends on March 1, 2016.
This year the Jefferson City Fire Department is asking for residents to avoid burning on November 7, 2015 during the hours of 9am to 3pm to help promote the health and safety of the 2015 State Cross Country Event at the Oak Hills Golf Course in Jefferson City.
All fires must be supervised at all times. A garden hose, fire extinguisher, or other means of controlling the fire must be present at the fire in case a problem develops. Avoid burning on windy days and monitor weather conditions. Red Flag conditions may lead to a temporary burn ban imposed by the Fire Chief.
Do not burn in the street or curb lines of the street. It is recommended that all fires be in small piles to prevent large amounts of smoke, 10-15 feet from property lines, structures and power lines.
Smoke from fires may not be welcomed by your neighbors. A complaint on open burning fire may lead to the extinguishment of the fire by the Fire Department.
The Jefferson City Fire Department encourages citizens of Jefferson City to utilize the compost facilities at 2417 Southridge Dr. The waste that will be accepted is: Iimbs 6" diameter or less and in 4' or less lengths, grass clippings, leaves, wood chips, and flocked Christmas trees.
Excerpts from City Code
307.6 Allowable burning: Open burning shall be allowed without prior notification to the code official for: recreational fires, fires used for the preparation of food, highway safety flares, smudge pots and similar occupational needs, and fires used for training fire enforcement personnel. (Ord. No. 11691, § 1, 1-13-92)
307.6.1 Yard Waste: Open burning of leaves, grass clippings, tree limbs, and vegetation grown on a property is permitted from November 1 of each year through March 1 of the following year, during daylight hours unless restricted or prohibited under section
307.2.2 by the code official. In the event of an emergency declared by the Mayor, or person acting as such, the City Administrator may authorize the open burning of yard waste, branches, trees, and other materials he deems appropriate and under such conditions as he may proscribe. (Ord. No. 15239, §1, 3-3-2014)
307.6.2 The person conducting a burn under subsection 307.6.1 shall be the owner of the property unless the owner has expressly directed some other person to conduct such burn on the property.
307.6.3 Adjustment to permissible burning: The burning period as specified in 307.6.1 and 307.6.2 above may be adjusted by the Fire Chief for safety reasons provided the total number of days of the burning periods shall not be increased. In the event that subsequent to the determination of the periods during which burning is permitted, the Fire Chief invokes a temporary ban during the period, the Fire Chief may extend the period by the number of days in which the ban is imposed.
307.6.4 Ceremonial Fires. Bonfires and other fires which do not occur within a designated device such as a barbeque grill, fireplace, outdoor stove, or outdoor heater, may be conducted only by permission of the Fire Chief, or his designee, and under such conditions as he may impose for the safety of persons and property.
307.6.5 Permit required: Open burning shall be allowed after obtaining a permit or other proper authorization from the code official for recognized silvicultural or range or wildlife management practices, prevention or control of disease or pests, heating for warmth of outworkers, bonfires, vegetation from land clearance by contractors, and commercial incinerators.
307.6.6 Notification and permission: Open burning shall be allowed with prior notification to the code official and upon receipt of written permission from Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR), provided that any conditions specified in the permission are followed for:
A) Disposal of hazardous or toxic material where the DNR determines that there is no practical alternative method of disposal.
B) Instruction in methods of fire fighting.
C) Research in control of fires.
Rev. 3/6/2014
1307
D) Emergency or other extraordinary circumstances for any purpose determined to be necessary by the DNR.
E) Disposal of landscape waste other than residential and agricultural waste.
F) Recognized agricultural or horticultural management purposes to maintain or increase the quantity or quality of agricultural or horticultural production.
G) When jurisdictional DNR written permission is not applicable, the code official shall give written permission only after it has been determined that approved fire safety requirements and emission standards are to be met.