By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
With more people stuck at home during COVID-19, backyard fires are becoming a place for small social distance gatherings.
But there are rules for outdoor fires in the city – to keep neighbors and property from harm.
Bowling Green Fire Division received a phone call recently from a city resident who returned to town to find ash in her yard.
“It happened while I was gone. There was ash sprinkled in my backyard and on the teak furniture,” she said.
Nothing caught fire, but there was a potential for problems with the dry conditions, and sparks falling on her cedar shed, wood fencing, and roof of her house. And with her home near the St. John’s Woods, the sparks could have caused bigger problems.
The woman hesitated to complain to her neighbors, and instead contacted the city fire division to educate herself on the rules in place for backyard fires.
“People just don’t know” about the restrictions, she said.
Bowling Green Fire Chief Bill Moorman said the fire division gets regular calls about backyard fires that prose risks or are smoky nuisances to neighbors. When firefighters go out on backyard fires, the main goal is to educate residents to prevent future problems, the chief explained.
The city follows the same regulations as the state fire code. That means there are limits as to the location and size of fires – and also restrictions on what items can be burned.
“That really limits what you can burn in your backyard,” Moorman said.
For example, only clean seasoned firewood can legally be burned. No branches trimmed from trees, no leaves, no dry grass, other yard waste or trash should be burned.
“If you’re doing everything right, you won’t have a problem,” Moorman said. “It won’t be a nuisance to anyone.”
But if the rules aren’t followed, the fire division can step in.
“If that smoke becomes a nuisance to neighbors, we can come in and put it out,” the fire chief said. “If someone is using clean seasoned firewood, it’s not a problem.”
The rules also address the need for residents to supervise their backyard fires.
“You cannot leave a fire unattended,” Moorman said. “And you must have a means of putting it out.”
The fire chief recommended backyard chimineas or fire rings with metal cages on top to stop sparks.
Following are the rules that must be followed for backyard fires in Bowling Green:
- Location: The minimum distance from a structure or combustible material shall be 15 feet if the fire is contained in an approved container. A chiminea, metal ring, stone/brick, surrounds, outdoor fireplace, or a metal container with a wire mesh screen are examples of approved containers.
- Size: A recreational fire can be no larger than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet or less height.
- If no approved container is utilized, the minimum distance from a structure or combustible material shall be 25 feet. Conditions which could cause a fire to spread within 25 feet of a structure should be eliminated prior to ignition.
- Material to burn: Only clean, seasoned, and dry firewood can be used. Do not use yard waste, trash or rubbish.
- Supervision: Recreational fires must be constantly attended until fire is extinguished. A fire extinguisher, garden hose, water barrel, dirt or sand shall be available for immediate utilization.
- Don’t burn: Tree trimmings, yard waste, leaves, grass, trash or construction materials.
Despite all precautions being taken, it will be at the discretion of the Bowling Green Fire Division to extinguish or have extinguished any fire that does not fall within these guidelines or that which could be considered a nuisance. The fire division will prohibit open burning that is offensive or objectionable due to smoke or odor emissions when weather conditions make such fires hazardous or endangering to persons.
