Outdoor fires are permitted within the City of Burlington but
only within the following guidelines:
A. No outdoor fire may be set on residential property within 10 feet
of any main or accessory structure on the property, including, but
not limited to, any dwelling, garage or shed.
B. Outdoor fires utilized for cooking must be contained in a manufactured
metal grill or other similar manufactured device intended for such
use and must be utilized strictly in accordance with the manufacturer's
requirements.
C. Outdoor fires utilized for any other recreational purposes must either
be contained in a manufactured device designed for such purpose and
utilized strictly in accordance with the manufacturer's requirements
or, alternatively, in a proper noncombustible stone, brick, tile or
metal fire pit of no more than three feet in diameter, built and intended
for such purpose. For all fire pits within the City, should the Fire
Chief or his or her designee determine that a fire pit is unsafe,
he or she may order that said fire pit not be used until he or she
or his or her designee deems said fire pit safe. Challenges to such
an order may be brought before the Fire Official of the City of Burlington
located in City Hall.
D. A fully functioning fire extinguisher or garden hose that is properly
connected to an unlimited water source must be available for fire
extinguishment purposes whenever any fire is ongoing.
E. No garbage, rubber, plastics, yard waste, green wood, leaves, or
soft wood, such as pine and cedar, which cause excessive smoke, may
be burned outdoors at any time, as any smoke or odor from any outdoor
fire must be kept minimal.
F. Flames may not exceed two feet at any time and, should the prevailing
winds cause the smoke from said fire to blow into a neighboring dwelling
or property, said fire must be extinguished immediately. Once a fire
has been started, no additional accelerants may be added. The Fire
Chief/Police Chief or his or her designee is authorized to require
that any residential outdoor fire be immediately extinguished if he/she
determines that said fire constitutes a hazardous condition.
G. Residential outdoor fires must be attended to at all times by a competent
adult owner or legal resident of the property from the time said fire
is commenced through the time said fire is completely extinguished.
H. The Fire Chief may prohibit all outdoor fires within the City of
Burlington when weather conditions or other local circumstances make
such fires hazardous.
Each and every person failing to comply with any provision of this chapter, shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished as contained in the penalties in Chapter
1, Article
III, §
1-18, and the Municipal Judge before whom any such person may be brought may impose such punishment by fine or imprisonment in the county jail as he or she may see fit, not exceeding the maximum herein.