sundance-communications.com Forums Member Forums Phone Booth Private property rights

My dad is going to build a barn and is clearing trees out to make room. A friend cuts up the trees for firewood and uses his bobcat to push the brush in a pile. For over 30 years we have been able to burn on the property. We used to burn the fields when I was a kid. Dad set the big pile on fire last night. It was a good size fire but there was no danger in it spreading at all. We had done this before many times. Without going into a lot of details, the fire department was called and they came out and put out the fire that had died down considerably. I could not believe what I was seeing. They came on private property and put out a fire that did not need to be put out! We felt helpless. The EPA has got it now that you can only burn a pile that is 5x5x5 with a burn permit. The neighbors love to target shoot in their field. I love to target shoot. We live out in the country. Are they going to come out and tell me that I can't do that anymore? We have farm animals and we also have some predators that roam around. When I see the predators I usually eliminate them. Will they tell me I can't do that anymore? What does "Private" mean today?

We used to burn fields too when I was a kid and you had to have a permit then and that was a long time ago. Any place I've every lived you had to have a permit to burn with the exception of the old burn barrel for houshold stuff. I suppose the size limit is so people don't get crazy piling it up. That one I've never heard of.

I can handle a burn permit. We do not live in a town, we live in a township so that may have made a difference in the past.

Well we didn't burn our fields in town either.

When I was a kid everybody used to pile their leaves up in the fall and burn them and we are just north of NYC. Now they would probably throw you in jail.

-Hal

I spoke with the fire chief and told him that the only issue I had was the fact that they came on private property and put out a fire that did not need to be put out. Of course, the law said the fire was too big and needed put out. It just feels like an infringement on private property rights. The fire wasn't bothering anyone or anything. I told the chief that the firefighters did their job and I was thankful for that. I wasn't complaining about them at all. I told him that sometimes, when dealing with people, you have to give a little room. You need to take every situation and look at it by itself. The Andy Griffith show had an episode that brought that principle out perfectly.

Here in town, chimineas and patio fireplaces aren't technically legal for burning. Unless you have a pound of hot dogs nearby.

A neighbor of mine had one burning last summer, and someone in the neighborhood reported it. It was a small fire, in a container a little larger than a hub cap, but the FD put out the fire and handed them the tip about the hot dogs.

Same thing here. My B-I-L, who's a fireman told me that as well.

We need a burn permit and the size of the fire determines if you need shovel & rake, water hose, portable water buckets and how many people to help. The farmers usually have the fire dept burn their fields they supply food, drinks and a donation if they want.

wow..we can burn any time, weeds, boxes, trash or what ever..no permits needed.