Restrictive/Open Burn Permits Available Starting October 6

Grand Island, Neb. — The fall/restrictive open burn period will officially open Sunday, October 12 and run through Saturday, October 25. Permit holders will be able to burn from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during this window.

Residents will need to purchase a $10 burn permit to participate in the fall/restrictive open burn period. A permit can be purchased on weekdays October 6-24 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Fire Station #1 (409 E. Fonner Park Road) or at Fire Administration (City Hall, 100 E 1st St). Residents burning without a permit will be subject to a fine.

The burn period is restricted to properties of owners or occupants of private one and two-family dwellings. Commercial properties are not allowed to participate in open burning. Burns are also restricted to leaves and brush indigenous to the property and permitted where no nuisance or hazard is created. Examples include tree branches, tree limbs, leaves and garden waste. It is a violation of state statute to move leaves or brush to another property to burn.

Fire locations for leaf and brush piles greater than three feet in diameter or two feet in height must be at least 50 feet away from any structure or other combustible material. Fire locations for leaf and brush piles less than three feet in diameter and two feet in height must be at least 25 feet from any structure or other combustible material unless the fire is contained within an approved burning appliance or barrel which has a one-half inch wire mesh screen covering the entire opening and such container or barrel is located more than 15 feet from any structure or other combustible material.

Residents are also reminded that burning will not be allowed if wind speeds reach 15 miles per hour or greater. In addition, the fire department may ban open burning if weather conditions turn hot, dry and windy. Should this be the case, notification will appear at www.facebook.com/GI.FireDepartment<http://www.facebook.com/GI.FireDepartment>. Whenever a permit holder questions whether it is safe to burn on a particular day, they should call (308) 385-5300 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday or (308) 379-9912 afterhours and weekends.

In addition, burns are not permitted in public ways, city right-of-ways and alleys. Open fires should constantly be attended by an adult until the fire is extinguished. A water supply or other extinguishing equipment is to be readily available for use.

The burn period is scheduled bi-annually, beginning on the third Sunday in April for 14 days, then again on the second Sunday in October for a 14-day period. City Code §16-11 states further details about open burning and can be found at www.grand-island.com/citycode or residents can contact the Grand Island Fire Department at (308) 385-5325 or any of the four fire stations. A brochure is also available online at http://grand-island.com/home/showdocument?id=4664.

The Grand Island Transfer Station also accepts leaves, tree limbs and tree branches at no cost. For more information about the open burn period, please call (308) 385-5300 or go to www.facebook.com/GI.FireDepartment. For media inquiries, please contact Communications Manager Spencer Schubert at [email protected].