With the arrival of November, the city of St. Joseph is once again allowing the open burning of yard waste within city limits, but officials are reminding residents to follow local regulations designed to keep the community safe.
The city highlighted seven key laws governing open burning:
- Fires are permitted only between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- All fires must be contained in an upright container with a volume of no more than 55 gallons.
- Burning is prohibited within 15 feet of any building.
- Only one burn container is allowed per residence.
- Fires must be constantly attended by someone capable of controlling them.
- Only yard waste may be burned — no trash, paper, lumber, or construction debris.
- Firefighting materials, such as a garden hose or other suitable container, must be available on site.
Violations of these rules may result in a court summons for a misdemeanor hearing. The St. Joseph Fire Department said responses to open burning calls will be treated as non-emergency unless a structure is involved.
The Fire Chief also has authority to issue a temporary burning ban if weather conditions pose a fire risk.
Residents are encouraged to consider alternatives to open burning. For more information, contact the city at 816-271-5327 or email smalita@stjosephmo.gov .
A PDF version of this information was published by The City of St. Joseph, MO Government and can be found here.
