McCandless Open Burn Ordinance

  1. No person shall conduct, or allow to be conducted, the open burning of any material, except where the Office of the Fire Marshal has issued an open burning permit to such person in accordance with this section.
  2. Immediately upon the discovery of any unauthorized open burning, the person responsible for the property on which the burning occurs shall immediately extinguish such burning.
  3. Open burning is in no way allowed for the removal or the disposal of trash or accumulation of brush, trees, leaves etc.
  4. Open burning, recreational fires shall be allowed within the Town of McCandless only with a permit issued through the Office of the Fire Marshal.

a. A fire prevention permit application must be filed with the Fire Marshal’s Office a minimum of 24 hours prior to the scheduled burn date. The permit must be submitted in full along with a $25.00 permit fee.

b. The fire department must be notified before and after the burn event. Allegheny County Emergency Services 9-1-1-dispatch center non-emergency number (412) 473-3056.

c. A minimum of one portable fire extinguisher or other approved on-site fire extinguishing agents, such as dirt, sand, water barrel or garden hose shall be available for immediate utilization.

d. A responsible person shall tend any open burning at all times.

e. The approved permit shall be in the possession of the applicant or authorized representative at the site of the permitted open burning site, and shall be made available for inspection upon request by any fire protection, or law enforcement officer.

f. Open burning that is or will be objectionable due to the atmospheric conditions or local conditions (dry weather) make such fires hazardous shall be prohibited. The Fire Marshal, fire protection, or law enforcement officer is authorized to order the extinguishment by the permit holder or the fire department of open burning that creates or adds to a hazardous or objectionable situation.

g. Only dry, clean, untreated wood products or other clean burning fuels are to be used for recreation, or cookout fires.

h. Only smokeless fuels, if any, may be used to start the fires.

i. The size of the fire is to be no larger than 3 ft x 3 ft x 3 ft in size.

j. The fire must be located a minimum of 25 ft from any structure, house, shed, barn, fence, pedestrian or recreation area, roadway or utilities.

k. The recreational burn may not exceed 8 hours in duration.

5. Open burning shall be allowed without a permit only – If for warmth of work crews:

a. The burning must be conducted in a noncombustible container no larger than a 55-gallon drum.

b. The material being burned is completely contained by the container.

c. Only one container is used for each work site.

d. The outside temperature is less than forty degrees Fahrenheit (40°F)

Recreation:

a. If an approved, non-combustible, contained exterior fireplace is used.

b. Portable outdoor fire places shall be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and shall not be operated within 15 ft of a structure or combustible material.

c. All other regulations stated prior, must be adhered to.

6. Penalty for violations:

a. Any person who violates any of the provisions of these sections or fails to comply with any order issued pursuant to any section thereof, shall be guilty of a summary offense, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of up to $1000.00. Each day that a violation continues after due notice has been served shall be deemed a separate offense.

 

According to the Fire Marshal, outdoor fireplaces do not constitute open burns so long as the fire is contained within the firebowl.

So have fun. Carefully.