Open Burning in North Carolina

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Open Burning in North Carolina
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North CarolinaDepartment of EnvironmentAnd
Natural Resources
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Seven Regional OfficesIn North Carolina
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Regional Offices
Raleigh Regional Office P.O. Box 27687Raleigh,
NC 27609Phone [phone]Fax [phone]
Fayetteville Regional Office 225 Green Street
Suite 714Fayetteville, NC 28301Phone (910)
486-1541Fax [phone]
Asheville Regional Office 2090 US Hwy
70Swannanoa, NC 28778Phone [phone]Fax
[phone]
Mooresville Regional Office 610 E. Center Avenue
Suite 301Mooresville, NC 28115Phone (704)
663-1699Fax [phone]
Wilmington Regional Office 127 Cardinal Drive
ExtensionWilmington, NC 28405Phone (910)
395-3900Fax [phone]
Washington Regional Office 943 Washington Square
MallWashington, NC 27889Phone (252)
946-6481Fax [phone]
Winston-Salem Regional Office 585 Waughtown
StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27107Phone (336)
771-4600Fax [phone]
Local Environmental Programs
Buncombe County Western NC Regional Air Pollution
Control Agency49 Mount Carmel RoadAsheville, NC
28806Phone [phone]Fax [phone]
Forsyth County Environmental Affairs Dept.537
N. Spruce StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27101Phone
[phone]Fax [phone]
Mecklenburg County Dept. of Environmental
Protection 700 N. Tryon Street, Suite
205 Charlotte, NC 28202 Phone (704)
336-5500Fax [phone]
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Open Burning Rule

• One of NCs oldest air quality rules
• First adopted in 1971
• Regulates outdoor burning
• Set conditions for allowable fires
• Violators can be fined up to 25,000 per
  violation or more in serious cases

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NC Division of Forest Resources

• Responsible for protecting state and privately
  owned forest land from forest fires
• Forest fire prevention
• Controlling wildfires
• DFR issues open burning permits
• DAQ does not issue open burning permits

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Local Government

• Local agencies and fire officials may have other
  ordinances
• Local ordinances must be no less stringent than
  the state regulation
• Following one agencys regulation does not
  guarantee compliance with other agencies
• Contact your local agencies prior to any open
  burning

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Why Limit Open Burning?

• Smoke from open burning pollutes the air and is
  unhealthy to breathe
• Potential health effects include
• Lung and Eye irritation
• Headaches, Dizziness
• Asthma attacks
• Coughing and wheezing
• and
• Even death in some cases

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If It Doesnt Grow, Dont Burn It

• Only leaves, branches and other plant growth can
  be burned nothing else only if public pick-up
  is not available
• It is always illegal to burn trash and other
  non-vegetative material

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Never Burn These Materials

• Structures standing or demolished
• Asphalt shingles
• Plastics, synthetics
• Heavy oils
• Paints
• Household, agricultural chemicals

• Trash, garbage
• Lumber and Pallets
• Treated wood
• Tires
• Newspapers and other paper products
• Wire and coated wire

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Illegal Burning
It is illegal to burn trash or garbage
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Illegal Burning
It is illegal to burn demolition material
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Illegal Burning
It is illegal to burn construction material
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Allowable Burning

• Yard waste Homeowners/Residential
• Land clearing Grading, building contractors,
  agriculture, etc

The burning must follow NC Air Quality
Regulations
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Air Quality Forecast Area
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Air Quality Forecast (May 1-September 30)
Check the forecast in your area before you
burn! www.ncair.org or 888-784-6224
(1-888-RU4NCAIR)
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NC Air Awareness
Code orange, red, or purple days in air quality
forecast areas cannot burn the following

• Yard waste
• Land clearing debris
• Natural disaster material
• Fire training (excluding permanent training
  facilities)
• DAQ recommends no burning throughout the rest of
  the state on code orange, red, or purple days!

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NC Air Awareness
Exceptions to prohibited open burning on code
orange, red, or purple days

• Permanent Fire Training Facilities
• Forest management practices
• Agricultural practices
• Wildlife management practices
• Practices must be acceptable to the Division of
  Forest Resources, Department of Agriculture, or
  Wildlife Management Commission

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Burning Yard Waste
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Burning Yard Waste

• Must originate on PRIVATE residence and be burned
  on that site
• Allowed only if no public pickup available
• Leaves, branches, grass clippings, and other
  plant waste
• Does not allow stumps and logs over 6 inches in
  diameter
• Must occur between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• Air quality forecast - Code green or yellow
• Smoke cannot create a nuisance

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Land Clearing Debris
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Burning Land Clearing Debris

• Only vegetative material such as logs, stumps and
  large limbs
• May use kerosene or diesel fuel to start
• Must occur between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• 250 feet from public road (Wind Direction
  National Weather Service Forecast)
• 1,000 feet from occupied structure (not on site)
• Air Quality Forecast - Code Green or Yellow
• Vegetative Debris must originate on site where
  burning taking place
• Every pile can be considered a separate violation

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Setback Exception

• Open burning land clearing debris
• Allows open burning within 1,000 feet of occupied
  structures (not on site)
• DAQ prior approval required

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Setback Exception Process
The following information is required

• Responsible party
• Burn dates Begin and end
• Burn site information Location, map size area
• Signed statement waiving objections Everyone
  within 1,000 ft. of burn pile(s)
• DAQ prior approval required

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Is This Legal?
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Air Curtain Burner
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Air Curtain Burner Requirements

• Vegetative material only (On-site)
• 250 feet from public road
• 500 feet from occupied structure (not on site)
• 10 Opacity limit (excluding 45 minute start-up)
• Air quality forecast - Code green or yellow
• DAQ prior notification and approval required

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Fire Fighter Training
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Fire Fighter Training

• Training exercises at permanent fire training
  facilities (Under supervision of colleges and
  fire academies/training centers)

No DAQ notification or prior approval required
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Fire Fighter Training

• Abandoned structures Extinguish rescue
• Junked vehicles Extinguish rescue

DAQ notification form prior approval required
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Impermissible Fire Training

• Salvageable items, such as insulated wire and
  electric motors
• If the primary purpose of the fire is to dispose
  of synthetic materials or refuse.
• Previously demolished structures

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Fire Fighter Training Notification
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Meet The Following Conditions

• Notification Regional office (10 days prior to
  burn can FAX)
• Notification and approval HHCU/Asbestos
  (Notification must be postmarked 10 working days
  prior to the start date. Faxes not accepted)
• Change schedule Notify HHCU in writing prior to
  original start date and Call DAQ regional office
• Air quality forecast - Code green or yellow

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Training Objective - Experience
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Other Allowable Burning

• Campfires
• Outdoor cooking
• Bonfires for festive occasions
• Managing forests or wildlife habitats
• Controlling agricultural pests and diseases
• Disposing VEGETATIVE storm debris from hurricanes
  and other natural disasters (Requires DAQ prior
  approval)

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Open Burning Compliance

• DAQ receives complaint
• Investigate complaint
• Other investigations/inspections
• Fire marshal
• Other fire officials
• Solid waste officials
• Other state/local officials

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Other investigations

• Heres what wed like to know
• Materials being burned
• How big the pile or area burned is
• Pictures of the burning and around the open
  burning site
• Name of violator and any contact information

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Enforcement

• Document Violation
• Issue Notice of Violation
• Notice of Recommendation for Enforcement
• Civil Penalty Assessment (Up to 10,000 per
  violation)

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Open Burning Alternatives

• Compost yard waste
• Chip tree limbs
• Land clearing debris
• Haul to sawmill or pulpwood yard
• Chip or tub grind remaining material
• Recycle or re-use non-vegetative material
• Contact local solid waste facility

Call Pollution Prevention www.p2pays.org OR
1-[phone]
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Breathe Dont Burn!

• Outdoor fires pollute the air
• Smoke is unhealthy to breathe
• Recycle or properly dispose of waste

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Contact Information
www.ncair.org Call 1-877-OPEN BURN
(1-877-673-6287)