With the nice spring, many people are likely looking to get outside and start spring cleaning on their property. For some that will include burning, but there are rules for burning both in the City of Crookston and the Crookston Fire District that residents should be aware of.
Crookston Firefighter Shane Heldstab said the local ordinance requires a fire pit, and only allows for the use of dry wood. “Within the City of Crookston emphasizing this spring with the lack of snow it’s going to be pretty dry, if you do decide to have a recreational fire within the city, it’s dry firewood only,” said Helstab. “I know it’s going to be spring, and people are going to want to put branches and raking up their yards and burning leaves. Can’t be doing that. A fire pit can be three feet in diameter. Flame heights are not supposed to be more than two feet. We really just ask that you use your common sense to keep it controlled.”
Heldstab also urged residents to keep fires out of the vicinity of structures. “Try to keep it about 25 feet from a structure,” said Helstab. “The big one that surprises people is the radiant heat that ends up being an issue. If you do choose to have (a fire), make sure you have some sort of water source – a garden hose or a five-gallon pal of water – so you have something to stop it or slow it down if it does stop spreading. And then, make sure there is somebody there to attend it while you are burning. We have had a couple of calls before where we get concerned neighbors where there is a fire going in a back yard but there doesn’t seem to be anybody around.”
Outside of city limits, burning is regulated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Heldstab said burn permits are currently required as the DNR has listed Polk County’s fire danger level at very high, and burning bans could be coming given dry conditions. “The DNR has activated and updated that you do need a burn permit if you are going to burn at this time,” said Heldstab. “There is a very good chance that in not too terribly long we might escalate very quickly if we get some warm weather. That will hamper anybody that wants to burn because when you go to activate your permit, it won’t let you. With relatively low humidity, high temperatures, and even the wind conditions are all taken into play by the DNR on a daily basis. Unless we get a little bit of moisture here there is a very good potential that it’s not going to take very long and they’re going to put burn bans on for our area.”
Permits can be issued from and activated with the Crookston Fire Department. “We offer those here at the Fire Hall,” said Helstab. “You can call or stop in. We’ll get you a burn permit and figure out what you’re burning. We have to be in compliance with the DNR on these things. It’s always nice when people stop in, or even if it’s a simple phone call. If you are burning, you have to have that burn permit with you. As we’re filling out that permit with you, we do have some directions for you to follow and making sure Polk County is aware of this. A lot of people driving by right now with cell phones, and they want to call in and report it. We try to head off some of that stuff and minimize some of our false alarms if we do have somebody out burning.”
Permits can also be ordered online through the DNR. “If you choose not to come to the fire hall, but you still need this burn permit you can go online to the DNR website and apply for one there,” said Heldstab. “Those ones, I think, are $5. So, you can either come down and see your friendly firefighters and get one for free, or you can sit on the computer and get charged $5 for one, that’s up to you. The biggest reason we have those is if the DNR puts on any burn restrictions or the authority around here puts on a burning restriction. With the weather and the wind there are days there are going to be burn bans.”
With the dry spring, Heldstab also encourages using an alternative to burning. “It’s been a dry spring, and we’re not anywhere near green-up, so things are dry out there,” said Heldstab. “We’re getting the word out about alternatives for burning – composting, chipping, or taking. In our area, taking that brush to a collection site is going to be the preferred method or alternative this time of year because it can cut down on the fire. With it being dry and the conditions the way they are, spring is a really good time for grass fires. We ask that you exercise caution and common sense.”
