[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Centuria 3-13-2006 as §§ 5-2-9, 5-2-10, 5-2-11 of the 2006 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
Open burning prohibited. No person, firm or corporation shall build any outdoor fire within the corporate limits of the Village of Centuria excepting as set forth below in this section. This prohibition on burning includes burning of construction waste and debris at construction sites and the use of burning barrels.
B. 
Exceptions.
(1) 
Outdoor cooking over a fire contained in a device or structure designed for such use is permissible;
(2) 
Recreational burning pits not exceeding four feet in diameter and not located less than 25 feet from any structure (the burning of clean wood only is permitted and the use of burning pits to burn refuse is prohibited); recreational burning pits shall be extinguished by 11:00 p.m.;
(3) 
Controlled burning of grass or similar vegetation for environmental management purposes, with the prior written approval of the Fire Chief, or his/her designee, may be permitted; this exception is not to be used for the burning of grass, leaves or other lawn debris;
(4) 
Ceremonial campfire or bonfires, with prior written approval of the Fire Chief, or his/her designee, may be permitted.
(5) 
Other occasions of desirable outdoor burning not specified by this subsection, but not as an alternative to refuse removal or disposal of which other methods are available, may be granted single occasion approval as in Subsection B(3) and (4) above.
(6) 
Open burning when a permit is issued.
C. 
Application for permit.
(1) 
Procedure for issuance of burning permit. Before the setting or starting of any open burning permitted under this section, a permit authorizing the burn shall be first obtained by the owner, operator, or agent from the Fire Chief or from such other person as may be authorized or designated by the Fire Chief to issue such permits; permits are not required for types of open burning allowed under Subsection B(1) and (2) above. Application for a burning permit shall be made in writing upon a form furnished by the Fire Chief. The Fire Chief may also establish from time to time special rules or restrictions relating to open burning by permit. Such rules may govern conditions, including but not necessarily limited to the following:
(a) 
Hours when burning is allowed;
(b) 
Day(s) when burning is allowed;
(c) 
Material which may or may not be burned;
(d) 
Whether open burning is allowed or whether burning is only allowed with an approved incinerator or burning device;
(e) 
The length of time the permit is valid;
(f) 
What constitutes an approved burning device or incinerator;
(g) 
The size of the material pile burned by open burning;
(h) 
The distance or distances to be maintained between the material being burned and other flammable material;
(i) 
Supervision required for burning, including minimum age of supervisors and type of fire-extinguishing equipment which must be present at the burn site;
(j) 
The manner in which ashes created by the burning under the permit are to be disposed of.
(2) 
Issuance of permit. If the Fire Chief or other person authorized or designated by the Fire Chief to issue such permits finds that the proposed burning complies with all Village ordinances and the regulations contained in Ch. SPS 314, Wis. Adm. Code, he/she shall approve the application, and a burning permit shall subsequently be issued to the applicant. A copy of any burning permit and the application therefor shall be kept on file with the Fire Chief. No burning permit issued shall be valid for more than 30 days from the date when issued.
D. 
Open burning regulations. The following regulations shall be applicable for open burning:
(1) 
All open burning shall be performed in a safe, pollution-free manner when wind and weather conditions are such as to minimize adverse affects, and in conformance with local and state fire protection regulation. Open burning shall not be used to covertly burn plastic, construction debris or other prohibited materials.
(2) 
Startup shall be accomplished by using kindling materials rather than waste oil, tires or other rubber materials.
(3) 
The size of the pile of material to be burned shall not exceed four feet in any direction measured horizontally or three feet measured vertically.
(4) 
The pile of material being burned shall be at least 50 feet away from any structure, wood or lumber pile, wooden fence, trees or bushes. Provisions shall be made to prevent the fire from spreading to within 50 feet of such items, or the fire shall otherwise be contained in an approved incinerator or burner device which is located at least 15 feet from any structure, wood or lumber pile, wooden fence, trees, or bush(es).
(5) 
Any ashes created by burning such material as is lawful under this section are to be disposed of in a manner authorized by law.
(6) 
Open burning shall be constantly attended and supervised by a competent person of at least 16 years of age until such fire is extinguished. This person shall have readily available for use such fire-extinguishing equipment as may be necessary for the total control of the fire while burning and/or extinguishing such fire.
(7) 
No materials may be burned upon any street, curb, gutter, sidewalk, or drainage ditch.
(8) 
Permits shall not be issued for burning barrels.
Patio fireplaces are permitted in the Village of Centuria as long as they are commercially purchased units that enclose the entire fire area within the patio fireplace. Homemade units must meet the approval of the Fire Chief. The chimney area and viewable area of the patio fireplace must be screened with a spark reduction device at all times the patio fireplace is in operation. The patio fireplace shall only burn a readily combustible fuel source that consists of wood, charcoal, or manufactured fireplace logs. The burning of trash, leaves, woods with a chemical treatment (railroad tie, fence post, power pole, etc.), or other materials that tend to create a noxious or annoying smoke discharge are not allowed. This section does not allow for below-ground campfires or other device fires not clearly authorized in this section or § 181-1B(2). Upon the complaint of two or more persons to the Police or Fire Department that the patio fireplace is causing annoyance, the person responsible for the patio fireplace shall immediately discontinue the use of the device.
A. 
Declarations of emergency. When there occurs a lack of precipitation, there may exist an extreme danger of fire within the Village of Centuria. This extreme danger of fire affects the health, safety, and general welfare of the residents of the Village of Centuria and constitutes a state of emergency. It is hereby found that the regulation of fires, burning materials, and fireworks is necessary and expedient for the health, safety, welfare and good order of the Village of Centuria during said emergency.
B. 
Regulation of fires, burning materials and fireworks. When a burning state of emergency is declared, it may be ordered that a person may not:
(1) 
Set, build, or maintain any open fire, except:
(a) 
Charcoal grills using charcoal briquettes, gas grills, or camp stoves on private property; or
(b) 
Charcoal grills using charcoal briquettes, gas grills, or camp stoves in Village parks placed at least 20 feet away from any combustible vegetation.
(2) 
Throw, discard or drop matches, cigarettes, cigars, ashes, charcoal briquettes or other burning materials while outdoors except into a noncombustible container that does not contain combustible materials.
(3) 
Light or ignite a flare, except upon a roadway in an emergency.
(4) 
Light, ignite, or use anything manufactured, processed, or packaged solely for the purpose of exploding, emitting sparks or combustion for amusement purposes, including fireworks, firecrackers, bottle rockets, caps, toy snakes, sparklers, smoke bombs, or cylindrical or cone fountains that emit sparks and smoke, except in displays authorized by the Village where adequate fire prevention measures have been taken.
C. 
Period of emergency.
(1) 
The periods of emergency for which this section shall be in effect shall be during such periods that Polk County, Wisconsin, is under Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources emergency fire regulations banning outdoor smoking and campfires, or when necessary as determined by the Village President, upon the recommendation of the Fire Chief.
(2) 
Burning emergencies shall become effective upon the time and date of the Village President declaring a state of emergency and shall remain in effect until the period of emergency ceases to exist or until the ratification, alteration, modification, or repeal of the burning state of emergency by the Village Board.