April Open Burning Restrictions

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Johnson County is under open burning restrictions for the entire month of April. Restrictions are in place to comply with the Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan (https://www.ksfire.org/regulations/). The following are April open burning restrictions:

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April Restrictions:

1. Material must be site generated.

2. Burning will typically only be permitted on residential properties (exception example: Sunflower/Astra pasture management).

3. Pasture and crop management burns are permissible but must be approved by the on-duty Battalion Chief (see below deviations).

4. The burn pile must not exceed 5' x 5'.

5. Commercial land clearing burns and burn piles on commercial properties will not be permitted.

6. Before burning, check Airnow.gov for air quality and Ozone Alert information. No burning will be allowed if the ozone forecast for that particular day(s) is yellow, orange, or red. NOAA should also be consulted regarding weather conditions/fire danger as usual.

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Resources:

Kansas Flint Hills Smoke Management https://www.ksfire.org/regulations/

 

Deviations 

• Is it for the same reason they are burning the Flint Hills? - YES

• Is it for cattle? - YES

• Is it for crop management? - YES

• Is it a hay field (to field animals)? - YES

• Is it to make my lawn green up and look pretty? - NO

• Is pad burning allowed at Astra/SRL? - NO

• Is field burning allowed at Astra/SRL? - YES, with approval. They receive an exemption for pasture management (cattle) in certain areas.

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Regular open burning regulations (See Below) still apply, and you must call in for a burn permit on the day you intend to burn.

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If you have any questions, please call us at 913-583-3886.

 

 

Regular Open Burning Regulations

 

 

1) Applicants are to request burn permits between 8:15 and 10 a.m. on the day the applicant desires to burn by calling 913-583-3886.  Burn permits can be issued at other times throughout the day. Regardless, permission must be granted by NWCFD personnel before burning. 

2) NWCFD personnel, at their discretion, may issue burn permits via telephone.

3) The applicant must be in legal control of the lot or parcel of land. 

4) Burning will be attended continuously by a competent person of legal age from the time of ignition to the time of extinguishment. If the fire is left unattended, it must be extinguished. 

5) Burning will be permitted only when the wind is below 15 miles per hour. 

6) Adequate clearance shall be provided from readily combustible materials (example: grass to be mowed) with material(s) to be burned located a minimum of 100 feet from ANY structure AND 10 feet from ANY property line. 

7) A firebreak (mowed, tilled, or plowed) must be created of at least 20 feet on all sides of the area to be burned. 

8) Only enough accelerant should be used to start the fire, not keep it going. If the wood is not dry enough, it won't burn. 

9) Burning shall not create a smoke nuisance or hazard to neighboring properties or persons. 

10) Precautions shall be taken to ensure confinement, intensity, and size of the said burn. 

11) Burning of ANY HEAVY smoke-producing material is strictly prohibited. This includes but is not limited to rubber tires, plastics, roofing, tar paper, old furniture, garbage, cloth, or any petroleum base product. 

12) Burning of any of the following is prohibited: tarpaper, composite roofing, any asbestos-containing material, including siding, composite wood products, paint cans, railroad ties, landscape timbers, garbage, plastic, foams, old furniture, cloth, petroleum products, hazardous materials, household cleaners, household trash, metals, aerosol cans, tires, or non-dried heavy smoke-producing wet or green brush or trees. 

13) Only dried clean wood and organic wastes, such as wild grasses and agricultural fields shall be allowed to be burned. Clean wood waste includes only dry trees, brush, and dimensional, non-treated lumber (2x4s, 2x6s, etc.). 

14) A garden hose or other fire extinguishing equipment shall be available at the burn location. Residents shall keep an adequate water supply or a fire extinguisher on hand while burning. 

15) Burning shall be conducted one hour after sunrise to one hour before sunset (except for agriculture and other specifically approved fires).

16) There will be no charge for Burn Permits. 

17) At any time, the Fire Chief, or his designee, may revoke burn permits or ban open burning, especially when weather conditions (high winds, low humidity) may make open burning too dangerous. The Fire Danger Forecast will be used as a guide in these decisions.