The Town of Woodbury encourages individuals to dispose of materials
in the most practical and environmentally friendly manner, and in
such a way that protects the health, safety and general welfare of
the Town's inhabitants. This same principle applies to those
items that qualify for open burning as regulated by Connecticut General
Statutes Chapter 446c.
This article shall not supersede Connecticut regulations that
apply to open burning, outside wood-burning furnaces or emissions
from chimneys from buildings and/or structures.
This article does not apply to grilling or cooking using charcoal, wood, propane or natural gas in cooking, grilling appliances, or barbecues being used for food preparation. Further, this article shall not apply to the use of propane, acetylene or natural gas in a device intended for temporary heating during construction or maintenance activities. This article shall not apply to recreational fire appliances (as defined in §
143-17) that are designed, manufactured, installed and approved for such use.
No Town-issued burning permit(s) in any way relieves any individual
from his/her responsibility for any damage or injury caused by his/her
permitted actions to another person's property or person.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
BONFIRE
An outside fire larger than a recreational burn for the sole
purpose of celebrating an event or occurrence either on private or
public property. This type of fire is not allowed in the Town of Woodbury
without a firewatch provided by the Woodbury Fire Department and approved
by the Fire Marshal.
BRUSH
Shrubs, vegetation or prunings the diameter of which is not
greater than three inches in diameter at the widest point.
BURNING INDEX
A weather forecast based on a scale calibrated to reflect
the risk of forest fire and broadcast by the Connecticut Department
of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
CEREMONIAL BURNING
The open burning of materials, such as flags, for the purpose
of disposing of said material that is fit and proper. Ceremonial burning
must be approved by the Fire Marshal.
CLEAN WOOD
Natural wood which has not been painted, varnished, stained
or coated with a similar material; has not been pressure treated with
preservatives; and does not contain resins or glues as in plywood
or other composite wood products.
COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL
Any substance which is inflammable, readily ignitable or
free burning, such as but not limited to paper, rubbish, wood, grass
and leaves.
COMMISSIONER
The Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy
and Environmental Protection.
CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE
Building materials, including but not limited to waste shingles,
insulation, lumber, treated wood, painted wood, wiring, plastics,
packaging, and rubble that results from construction, remodeling,
repair, and demolition on a house, commercial or industrial building,
or other structure.
DEEP
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
FIRE PIT
An outside area of earth ground or a hole in earth ground
that may or may not be surrounded by noncombustible materials with
the intent of controlling the potential spread of a fire.
FIRE TRAINING FIRE
Methods of fire inside a structure or in the open environment
for the purpose of training firefighters to enhance their skill performance.
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL
Any substance or compound that has the capability of producing
adverse effects on the health and safety of humans or the environment.
NUISANCE
A situation in which a recreation, fire training, cooking
or brush burning type fire creates an environment on or in property,
other than the property where the fire is occurring, which is considered
to be unhealthy, hazardous, reasonably annoying, uncomfortable, unsafe,
is creating a traffic hazard, creating a persistent odor or would
cost resources to eliminate the odor from the property. This shall
apply to but not be limited to smoke, soot, fumes, odors, vapors,
noxious gases, products of combustion, heat and incomplete products
of combustion.
OPEN BURNING
The burning of any matter in such a manner that the products
of combustion resulting from the burning are emitted directly into
the ambient air without passing through an adequate stack or flue.
[Definition from Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies § 22a-174-1(83).]
OPEN BURNING OFFICIAL
Appointed by the Town of Woodbury, has taken the CT DEEP
certification course and meets the requirements under Connecticut
General Statutes to enforce Connecticut open burning regulations,
this article and any applicable regulations.
OPEN OUTDOOR FIRE
Any fire in the open air or outside the confines of a building
for the purpose of burning a combustible material.
PERMIT (OPEN BURNING)
Any paper or electronic form to document the approval of
open burning that has been designated by the State of Connecticut
or Town of Woodbury to serve as the approval.
RECREATIONAL FIRE
An outside fire created for the purpose of experiencing the
outside natural environment, for the human consumption of beverages
or food and the cooking or smoking of food for human consumption and
ceremonial purposes. The fire shall be fueled by combustible materials,
excluding flammable or combustible gas or liquid. Some typical words
describing a recreational fire include "campfire" and "fire pit."
RESIDENT
An individual seeking to burn on the property where he or
she resides.
WINDY CONDITIONS
A consistent or gusting wind velocity of 15 miles per hour
or more.
The Fire Marshal's Office of the Town of Woodbury is authorized
to enforce the provisions of this article. To assist in such enforcement,
the Fire Marshal or a designee is authorized to enter any yards and
open property for the purpose of detecting and initiating extinguishment
of fires created without compliance with this article.
Whenever the Fire Marshal determines that there has been a violation
of this article, he shall give written notice of such violation to
the person or persons responsible for such violation. Such notice
shall describe the violations charged, with specific reference to
the provisions of this article, and shall outline the remedial action
required to remove the violation, including the time within which
such violation must be cured.
All applications for permits required by this article shall
be made to the Fire Marshal in such form and in such detail as he/she
shall prescribe, in accordance with the Connecticut General Statutes.
The Fire Marshal may revoke a permit in case there has been a false
statement or misrepresentation as to a material fact in such application.
The Fire Marshal shall issue all permits required by this article
when satisfied that the activity or condition for which the permit
is sought poses no threat to life, health or property. Such permits
shall be valid for such period of time as appears on the face of the
permit and may be withdrawn at any time on notice to the holder thereof,
if, because of changed conditions, a threat to life, health and property
is found to exist.
The following acts are prohibited:
A. Kindling or allowing to be kindled an outdoor fire for the purpose
of disposing of garbage, construction and demolition waste;
B. Leaving unattended an open outdoor fire;
C. Kindling or allowing to be kindled an outdoor fire when the burning
index as broadcast by the State DEEP is "High," "Very High," or "Extreme"
and/or windy conditions exist;
D. Kindling or allowing to be kindled an outdoor fire when the air quality
index is broadcast by the State of Connecticut DEEP as "Unhealthy
to Sensitive Groups," "Unhealthy," or "Very Unhealthy";
E. The location or storage outside a building of any combustible material
in such manner or condition as to pose a threat to life, health or
property;
F. Kindling an outdoor fire within the traveled portion of any highway
or curb area;
G. Bon-type fire and fire pits that are greater than three feet in diameter
or more than seven square feet in area, and that have a fuel stack
greater than three feet high;
H. Kindling or allowing to be kindled an outdoor fire for the purpose
of disposing of any type of structure, including marine and aircraft,
vehicles or debris from any of the foregoing; and
I. Kindling or allowing to be kindled an outdoor fire of brush collected
from a commercial operation and brought to a residential property.
The following acts are permitted under this article, provided
that a written permit is first obtained from the Fire Marshal of the
Town of Woodbury:
A. Kindling or allowing to be kindled an outdoor fire for the purpose
of burning brush collected from one's own yard.
B. A nonconforming fire or special use fire of a type other than listed
in this article which may be required due to unique nature or condition,
such as, but not limited to, a prescribed burn for forest fire control.
C. Fires set for the purpose of eradication or control of insect infestation
or disease, agricultural purposes, clearing vegetative debris following
a natural disaster, and vegetation management.
D. Fire suppression training fires in accordance with the following
provisions:
(1) The burn must be exclusively for fire prevention training. The burning
shall not be used as a means to dispose of waste material, including,
but not limited to, tires and other hazardous materials.
(2) All hazardous materials must be removed and disposed of prior to
conducting the fire suppression training and removed by a licensed
abatement contractor in accordance with the applicable local and state
regulations regarding such activities.
(3) At least seven days before a planned practice burn, residents within
a one-thousand-foot radius of the site of the proposed burn shall
be notified.
(4) All fire suppression training shall conform to the latest edition
established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard
on Live Fire Training Evolutions (NFPA 1403).
The following fire also require a permit by the Commissioner:
A. Landfill fire with a permit issued to the Open Burning Official.
B. All other fires as deemed by the Connecticut General Statutes.