Burning Regulations - City ordinance 4.16

4.16          OPEN BURNING    

1.         PERMIT REQUIRED.

a.       No burning shall be permitted unless the owner of the property upon which burning is proposed first obtains a permit, approved by the Fire Chief and under proper safeguards prescribed for and issued only at the City Hall during regular business hours.

b.      Notwithstanding any other provision in this Section, if the burning of any material, either with or without a permit, intentional or not, results in failure to comply in full with the conditions of a burning permit, or if negligence in supervising and controlling the fire results in the dispatch and/or deployment of fire-fighting equipment or personnel to control or extinguish the fire or to protect life, buildings or adjacent property, in addition to other potential fines and forfeitures, the property owner shall be required to pay all costs and expenses incurred by the City for said fire or emergency call. Said costs and expenses shall be calculated by the City Clerk after consultation with the Fire Chief and will assess the cost of said fire or emergency call against the property as set forth in this section and pursuant to Section 66.0703, Wis. Stats.

2.         RESTRICTIONS ON BURNING.

a.       No person or corporation or their agent may burn garbage (including, but not limited to kitchen and garden waste) fresh cut grass, green grass, green leaves, green brush or any other noncombustible material in the City.

b.      No person or corporation or their agent may burn any material within the public street, shoulders, gutters, storm water ditches, catch basins, or on other public property in the City except as set forth herein.

c.       No person living in a multi-family (3 or more) structure may burn any materials, and corporate owners of such structures in the City may not burn any materials on such premises except as set forth herein.

d.      No person living in a single or two family home may burn home generated combustible material in the City without a permit for such burning issued by the Fire Chief as set forth herein.

e.       No developer or contractor may burn any materials in the City.

3.         COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL BURNING PROHIBITED.

No burning permit shall be issued to commercial or industrial businesses nor shall commercial or industrial businesses be allowed to burn in an incinerator or rubbish container.

4.         PROHIBITED ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.

No person shall kindle, start or maintain a fire upon public property within the City of Pewaukee except in designated picnic areas in the public parks where cooking fires may be maintained in permanent or portable enclosed grills. An adult person shall be in constant attendance of such "picnic" fire.

5.         RULES FOR BURNING.

a.       All burning pursuant to a permit shall be kindled or started no earlier than 7:00 a.m. and should be completely extinguished by 10:00 p.m., unless otherwise specified on the permit. All burning shall be conducted with the adult person named on the permit in constant attendance. The burning of refuse should be in its natural state, (grass, leaves, twigs, brush, branches, and untreated wood). Items that are prohibited to be burned are petroleum products, tires, plastics, insulation, garbage and treated building materials and any other item which may smolder or give off noxious odors.

b.      Burning of permitted materials should be accomplished in a metal, screened receptacle no larger than 55 gallons and approved by the Fire Chief or Fire Inspector.

c.       Burning of piled materials (brush and leaves) shall be confined to an area at least 50 feet from buildings and trees no larger than 6' x 6' x 4' and flames from such burning may not exceed 8 feet.

d.      No permit issued under this Section shall create a property right in the person receiving said permit, and said permit shall be limited to and shall be used in strict compliance with the terms and conditions specified therein, and shall automatically expire on the date specified on the permit.

e.       Bonfires/Campfires shall be allowed only under constant supervision in a contained burning pit. The actual fire area shall be in an enclosed fire ring of metal or masonry no larger than 5 feet in diameter. Flames from the fire shall be maintained at no higher than 6 to 8 feet. All fires must be completely extinguished by 10:00 p.m.

f.        Only owners of real estate may sign permits. A signed copy of the permit will be filed with the City Clerk.

W240 N3065 Pewaukee Road

Pewaukee, WI 53072

(262) 691-0921