Burn Permits

The City of St. Albans Fire Dept. will issue burn permits Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. To secure a weekend burn permit, please complete the application during weekday business hours.

• The fire must not be left unattended until it is entirely extinguished.
• If any permit condition is not followed, then the permit is immediately invalid and you will be burning illegally. Additional permits will not be issued.
• Only natural wood materials may be burned under this permit. Other materials require an Air Pollution permit as well as this permit.
• The person setting the fire must at all times have sufficient help and tools present to control the fire.
• Restricted materials cannot be used to ignite natural wood materials.
• This permit in no way relieves the person to whom it is granted from any liability related to the fire or any damages it might cause.
• This permit may be cancelled for cause at any time.
• Violation of the conditions of this permit may result in the permittee receiving a “Municipal Ordinance Ticket” .
• This permit is valid only for the place and time stated.
• Permits will not be issued if the wind speed is more than 8 mph.

City of St. Albans Title 7 Municipal Ordinance

2152. Open fires prohibited; fines

1) No person shall build an outside fire, open or contained in an incinerator, fireplace or other receptacle, or permit the same to remain burning at any time in the City without obtaining written or verbal permission from the chief of the fire department, fire marshal, or designee, nor except upon the terms and conditions of such permit. Provided, that nothing herein contained is meant to

conflict in any manner with state statutes governing this subject. Provided further, that this section shall not be applicable to outside cooking units.

2) No person shall make an open fire in a street, common or other public place except by permission of the City Council or the mayor.

3) Upon being issued written or verbal permission to burn no person shall make an open fire within 25 feet of a building, structure, wooded area, standing brush, or tall grass. Also, the allowed fire must be attended by some responsible person who shall see the fire is extinguished before leaving it.

4) Fines: Each day’s violation of any part of this section shall constitute a separate offense, and any person who shall violate the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine in accordance with the City of Saint Albans schedule of fees and fines. Any subsequent violations will be penalized by additional

fines accordance with the City of Saint Albans schedule of fees and fines.

2153. Outside Fire endangering buildings or noxious to others

1) No person shall build, permit to be built, upon premises under his or her use or control, any outside fire, whether the same be open or confined, in a manner, in a location, or of materials which will endanger the safety of any existing building or structure, or which will be noxious or injurious to others. Upon complaint to the fire department that any building or structure is being so endangered, or to the health officer that such noxious or injurious condition exists, such fire department official or health officer shall make investigation, and issue to any person found to be in violation of the subsection his or her written or verbal order to cease or desist, or to take such action with respect thereto as may be necessary to prevent or correct such dangerous, noxious or offensive condition.

2) A person who neglects or refuses to comply with or obey a lawful order as defined in Section 2152; subsection 1, shall be subject to a fee in accordance with the City of Saint Albans schedule of fees and fines.

Campfires

A person is not required to have a permit for a campfire (any fire for cooking or warming) on their own land.

A person is required to have permission for a campfire on lands of another and such permission can be obtained only from the owner of the land.

Provisions Applying to all Fires at all Times

Fires kindled for the purpose of burning brush or for other lawful purpose shall be kindled only at such times and under such conditions as will enable the parties starting them to keep them entirely under control and not creating a public nuisance or hazard. Fires must be attended at all times.