Crookston Firefighter Brian Hanson and The Crookston Fire Department (CFD) are reminding people to activate or renew their burning permits if they wish to have campfires outside the city limits of Crookston this spring.
“Now that the snow is gone and we don’t have accumulations on the ground anymore burn permits will be required again,” Crookston Firefighter Brian Hanson explained. With snow accumulations on the ground dropping to below three inches, burning permits will be required for citizens to make fires of certain parameters. “You need a burning permit when the fire is more than three feet high or three feet in diameter,” Hanson explained, “Or when the ground is not completely covered by a minimum of three inches of snow when the fire is not contained in either an approved burning or cooking or heating device such as a charcoal grill or camp stove. And when your County or local jurisdiction requires a burn permit year-round or for all sizes of fires.” A burning permit grants the individual holder the right to burn small amounts of dry leaves, plant clippings, brush, and clean untreated-unpainted wood if weather conditions do not pose a fire hazard, such as low relative humidity, strong surface winds, dry air, or unstable air.
The Department of Natural Resources reports that you do not need a permit for a “campfire” that is set for cooking, warming, or ceremonial purposes that is less than three feet in height and diameter and has had five feet of the ground cleared of all combustible material, or when the ground is covered by at least three inches of snow to prevent the fire from spreading or contained in a device designed for cooking or heating. “You can get a burn permit, or have it renewed at the Crookston Fire Department, or you can get it online at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MnDNR) website at www.dnr.state.mn.us,” Hanson explained. Upon completing the registration, the Burn Permit will be valid for one year. To activate a burn permit, you can go to the MnDNR website at dnr.state.mn.us/burning-permits or by calling 1-866-533-2876 and following the instructions in the pre-recorded message.
To see what areas and counties in the state require permits or restrictions, you can follow the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Current Burning Permit Restrictions on their website, which is updated daily at www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/questions.html.
