[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Old Saybrook 3-13-2002.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire prevention — See Ch. 122.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall
have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context
clearly indicates a different meaning:
Shrubs, vegetation or prunings, the diameter of which is not greater
than three inches at the widest point.
A certificate of open burning issued by the Open Burning Official
in such form or detail and valid for such period as the Open Burning Official
may prescribe.
Any masonry or metal structure used only for cooking outdoors and
not used for any disposition of material specified in the definition of open
burning.
Any fire in the open air or outside the confines of a building for
the purpose of:
The prevention, control or destruction of diseases and pests and agricultural
burning for vegetation management;
The disposal of brush by a resident on the property where he or she
owns or resides with written permission of the property owner;
The disposal of dangerous material such as toxic gases, where there
is no reasonable alternative method of disposal;
Thwarting a hazard which cannot properly be managed by any other means
or is necessary for the protection of the public health:
Fires in saltwater marshes;
Subject to the provisions of § 99-7, fire training exercises; and
Any open fires other than those set forth in § 99-2A.
Any person appointed by the First Selectman designated and certified
by the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection as a local
Open Burning Official. The Open Burning Official may serve in a temporary
capacity from the date of his or her appointment, until certification by the
Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection.
A.
No person shall kindle an open burning within the Town
without a certificate. This requirement does not apply to the following:
B.
No person shall kindle an open burning unless the location
of the open burning is no less than 50 to 100 feet from any structure, woodlands
and grasslands and adequate provision is made to prevent the fire from spreading
within 50 to 100 feet of any structure or other combustible material in an
uncontrolled manner, or as the Open Burning Official deems to be an appropriate
distance.
Open burning shall be done only between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and
5:00 p.m., as specified on the certificate, and shall only occur on sunny
or partly sunny days when wind speed is no more than five to 15 miles per
hour. The provisions of this section shall not apply to open burning permitted
under § 99-8J.
The certificate holder shall constantly attend an open burning until
the fire is extinguished. This person shall have extinguishing equipment readily
available for use.
The Open Burning Official or the Fire Marshal may prohibit any or all
open burnings when atmospheric or local circumstances make such fires hazardous.
For all open burning described in Subsection C(3) of the definition
of open burning, only material and quantities specified on the certificate
may be burned, and the Open Burning Official may add any reasonably specifically
identified conditions if circumstances indicate that air pollution standards
will be violated by open burning.
Notwithstanding the provisions of § 99-2, fires for training firefighters and methods of firefighting where liquid fuels are burned shall not require a certificate.
A.
A signed, written certificate from the Open Burning Official
is needed for open burning for each specific location.
B.
The Open Burning Official will issue certificates for
a period specified on the certificate.
C.
Daily verbal permission for an Open Burning is required
by calling the Fire Department and giving the name and address of the certificate
holder and the certificate number.
D.
Certificates will not be issued if:
(1)
A hazardous health condition will be created.
(2)
A salvage operation by open burning will be conducted.
(3)
A practical alternative method of disposal for the material
to be burned is available.
(4)
Such open burning would interfere with or prevent the
attainment or maintenance of ambient air quality standards imposed by state
or federal law.
(5)
Forest fire danger, as determined by the State Fire Warden,
is high or extreme and the area where the open burning is conducted is within
100 feet of a woodland or grassland.
E.
A certificate is not needed for outdoor cooking, grills
or fireplaces. Permission is needed for campfires and bonfires and may be
obtained by calling the Town Fire Marshal.
The following shall not be burned:
This chapter shall be enforced by the Fire Marshal/Open Burning Official
and/or Police Department with warning or arrest. During an air pollution alert,
all burning will be prohibited.
Any person who violates any provisions of this chapter shall be fined
not more than $100 per occurrence in addition to any applicable state or federal
fines or penalties.
