Open burn reminder given

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GREENVILLE – Due to the increase responses to open burning related fires, The Darke County Fire Chiefs’ Association, the Darke County Sheriff’s Office and the Darke County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management informs Darke County residents about the open burning guidelines. These guidelines apply to those locations that are not already covered under existing city/village ordinances.

* Per Ohio Revised Code 1503.18 with limited exceptions, open burning is not allowed between the hours 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the following months, March, April, May, October and November. This includes burning yard waste, wood, brush, weeds, grass and other residential/agricultural debris. This does not include camp fires like recreational fires that are in fire rings. This rule is in place due to higher winds and dry conditions that occur during these months. To burn after 6 p.m. the following guidelines sill must be met.

* No structures (or materials from demolished structures) may be burned; this includes, wood barns, homes, garages, out buildings, etc., without prior authorization from the Regional Air Pollution Control Agency (RAPCA 937-225-4435). Only clean, dry untreated wood or other approved materials may be burned.

* Someone must stay at the burn site with a cell phone until it is completely burned out.

* Maintain all fires in a nuisance-free fashion.

* Notify your local Fire Department prior to burning. Darke County Dispatch is not authorized to authorize any burning.

* Only clean, dry, untreated wood or other approved materials may be burned. See OAC 3745-19 for a complete list of approve materials or contact RAPCA with questions.

* Burning of asphalt shingles, trash, tires, plastics, furniture, mattresses, building materials is strictly prohibited and all other prohibited materials. See OAC 3745-19 for a complete list of prohibited materials or contact RAPCA with questions.

* Fire extinguishing materials must be on-site at all times.

* Do NOT burn during high wind conditions, please check with your local fire department if there are any questions.

* Open burning on Air Pollution Advisory days is prohibited. Call the RAPCA Airline at 937-223-3222, or visit the RAPCA home page, to find out if an advisory has been issued.

* Burn site must be located at least 1,000 feet from the nearest neighboring residence. Resident must recognize dry conditions and obey any state or local advisories and/or bans against open burning.

Please understand the county is required by law to dispatch fire personnel to any and all calls received for unapproved burns. It is the local fire department’s responsibility (also by law), to respond and investigate those calls and if necessary put those fires out should they not adhere to the above guidelines and state established rules.

It is important to know that these guidelines are in place to ensure that there is no loss to property or life. Each year County First Responders are called to fires that may have started out with the best of intentions but ended up out of control needing many county resources to respond.

The above set of guide lines is not all inclusive, so if you have any questions please direct them to your local fire official for your area.

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