Mid-Missouri yard waste rules vary as burning season begins

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

With burning season underway and leaves beginning to fall, regulations about burning leaves, branches and other yard waste vary across Mid-Missouri.

According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, state regulations allow for some residential open burning, and cities and counties have the ability to set stricter regulations.

The Columbia Fire Department requires residents to get a permit before conducting open burning within city limits. According to the City of Columbia's open-burning guidelines, residents must request a site visit to determine whether a permit can be issued.

CFD says residents can only burn trees, brush and limbs. Leaves cannot be burned unless they are still attached to the branches. Fire must be at least 50 feet from structures, constantly attended, and extinguished by 5:30. Exceptions to the fire distance are for large brush piles; those must be at least 200 yards from structures, and warming fires must be at least 15 feet from structures. Wind speeds, including gusts, must be below 10 mph.

Permits are only valid for the date they are issued, according to the city's website. Recreational fires that meet city requirements do not need a permit.

Jefferson City's yard-waste burning season runs from Nov. 1 through March 1, according to the city's regulations.

In Jefferson City, residents can burn small sticks, leaves, grass clippings and other yard debris on their property between sunrise and sunset. Fires must be attended at all times.

The Jefferson City Fire Department may issue a no-burn order if conditions are hazardous, according to the city's website.

For Boone and Cooper counties, those locations follow open burning guidelines listed in the Missouri Department of Natural Resources regulations.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources prohibits residents from burning materials that did not come from the "residential premises," such as tires, plastics, treated wood, used oil and hazardous materials. Household "refuse" or discarded waste material is allowable under open burning guidelines.

Restricted items listed in the DNR guidelines are tires, petroleum products, plastics, oil, and other non-routine household waste items.

For Cooper County, Fire Chief David Gehm with the Cooper County Fire Protection District said that regulations can be placed on open burning if the weather is not a permissible day to do so, such as a Red Flag warning.

"We'll put out an announcement, or the Emergency Management agency will put out an announcement requesting people not to burn," Gehm said. "We really don't have regulations, we just ask people to be cognizant of the weather, where they're burning, what they're burning."

Gehm said wind is an important factor when determining when to conduct a controlled burn. For those starting a fire when it is not windy, if the wind starts up, it can grab the embers from the fire and blow them towards surrounding grass or any sheds or roofs, he said.

"The wind might pick up the next day and some members will start a grass fire, even if they think they've put it out adequately, the wind can pick up and rekindle the fire later on," Gehm said.

For residents starting a controlled burn, it is recommended to call ahead to the local fire department and inform them of where the fire will be as a safety protocol, according to Gehm.

Gehm said if residents get an implication that their fire is getting out of control, dial 911 immediately, even if it is just a false alarm.

"The biggest mistake they make is they think they can try and get it out with a garden hose and sometimes they can," Gehm said. "We don't mind coming to a fire and then find out that it's been put out, that's okay, that's our job."

Residents have options to dispose of yard waste as an alternative to burning.

The city of Columbia offers yard waste drop-off locations at Parkside Drive Yard Waste Drop-Off Center and Capen Park Yard Waste Drop-Off Center. Both locations are able to recycle residents' grass clippings, leaves, brush and small tree limbs and are open throughout the week.

Jefferson City residents can drop off yard waste at 708 Ellis Boulevard, which is open throughout the week.

The City of Boonville Sanitation Yard Waste Facility is open throughout the week for Cooper County residents to drop off their yard waste.

The ABC17 Stormtrack Weather Team recommends avoiding burning in excessively dry or windy conditions, and to always check local regulations on burning.