Safe Residential Burning Terms and Conditions 
All applicants must agree and abide by these terms and conditions. 
Updated December 1, 2006.

>> Call 911 if your fire gets out of control.
>> Failure to follow these standards may result in having your burning privileges revoked.
>> You are responsible for your fire and you are liable if it gets out of control!

I. Planning to burn.

• Residents intending to burn small quantities of spruce beetle killed brush and trees must obtain a residential burn permit. Permits are available online at http://afd.muni.org or by calling 267-5020.
• The Permit must be displayed on site during any burn.
• Residents intending to burn must comply with the daily burn approval notice recorded at 267-5020 or posted online at http://afd.muni.org. Daily burn approval is dependent upon air quality, smoke dispersal, fire weather index, wind and regional fire activity.
• Burning is allowed between the hours of 9:00 am and 9:00 pm AST.

II. Prepare the burn area.

• Burn pile must be located at least 50 feet from any structure, power poles, vehicles, trees, brush and dead grass. No overhead obstructions such as power lines or overhanging branches. Clear away flammable liquids and their containers, trash piles and other debris piles.
• Burn pile maximum size is limited to 6 feet wide by 6 feet long by 3 feet high.
• Clear flammable and combustible material away from all structures before igniting your pile.
• Burn pile must be established on mineral soil (dirt or gravel, not peat) with a minimum of 5 feet of cleared area around the pile as a containment ring. Remove all grass, other vegetation and materials out of this cleared area.
• Only one burn pile may be burned at a time.
• A working telephone or cellular phone that answers to the phone number provided as the "OnSite Contact Number" on the Burn Permit Application must be available and working at the burn site.
• A charged water hose is required; it must reach 20 feet beyond the burn pile.
• A shovel, rake, Pulaski or hoe must be provided for each adult in attendance.
• One responsible and able bodied adult over the age of 18 must attend the fire at all times. An able bodied adult is physically and mentally capable of acting quickly to attempt to stop fire in case of escape. Must be able to use tools and in good enough physical condition to withstand 10-15 minutes of strenuous activity. Must be wearing protective clothing such as sturdy shoes or boots, long pants, gloves, long sleeved shirt. Must not be intoxicated.
• Fire must be extinguished immediately if wind speeds exceed 15 mph. If it becomes necessary to extinguish your fire, be sure to stir the ashes repeatedly with a shovel, thoroughly saturating with water until completely cooled.

III. Items Required to be Onsite for the Burn

• Phone
• Rakes and hoes
• Shovels
• Extra Fire extinguisher (all vehicles)
• First aid kits
• Smoke masks, respirators
• Goggles or safety glasses
• Safety clothing: long pants, long sleeved shirt, boots and gloves
• Learn more about common forestry tools here

IV. Materials allowed for burning.

• Only dry spruce beetle killed wood may be burned: spruce trees and limbs killed by the spruce bark beetle. Material must be dry enough to burn readily with minimum smoke. Residents are discouraged from burning wet material since excessive smoke is likely and may affect neighbors with asthmatic conditions.
• AFD strictly prohibits burning of garbage, lumber, construction material, trash, plastics, glue, petroleum saturated or painted materials.

V. Recreational and Cooking Fires

• Absolutely no garbage, lumber or construction debris may be burned at any time.
• An open recreational or cooking fire does not require a permit if it is contained within an area or pit less than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height. These fires must be located in a cleared area at least 25 feet from any structure, power poles, vehicles, trees, brush and dead grass. This includes barbeque pits. These fires must comply with the daily burn approval notice recorded at 267-5020 or at http://afd.muni.org.
• Recreational fires contained within an approved outdoor fireplace or barbeque grill does not require a permit if it has a total area of 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height. It must be situated 15 feet or more from a structure. These devices are required to have a spark arrestor, chimney stack or screen over the top. The unit must be elevated off the ground at least 12 inches. These contained fires are allowed if burning is not approved for open fires at 267-5020. Exception: Municipal burn bans prohibit all fires, contained and open.
• Barbeque grills (charcoal & propane):
  • 1) are allowed for use and storage on the deck of one and two family homes;
  • 2) for triplex’s and above,
    • a) the grill itself can be stored on the deck, but the propane cannot;
    • b) the grill cannot be used on the deck unless the building and the deck are sprinklered;
    • c) if not sprinklered, grill use must be on a non-combustible surface and 10 feet away from any combustible building;
    • d) the use of contained barbeque grills is not dependent upon burn day approval.
• A proposed recreational or ceremonial fire that exceeds 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height and does not follow all of the requirements for the residential burn permit requires an inspection.
  • Call Fire Prevention at 267-4900.
  • Permit and inspection fees apply.
  • Please schedule at least 2 weeks in advance.
• A proposed recreational or ceremonial fire that exceeds 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height and is smaller than 6 feet in diameter may be eligible for a residential burn permit if it follows all of the safe burning standards listed above.
• Open burning that will be offensive or objectionable because of smoke or odor emissions is prohibited by Fire code. When burning any type of fire, be a good neighbor and consider how your fire affects your neighbors. 

Mandatory Agreement for All Burn Permit Applicants 
All Applicants must agree to the following conditions. 

After you click the Submit button, if all required information has been provided, your browser will be redirected to a page where you can view and print a copy of your Burn Permit to display at the Burn Site.

Please click the Submit button below to submit your Burn Permit information and proceed to the view and print page.