Open Burning

Open Burning Regulations

Clinton City Ordinances and laws regulated by the Utah Division of Air Quality regulate open burning within Clinton City limits. Open burning conducted within Clinton City limits is limited to agricultural burning or a recreational fire. Download Open Burning Brochure.

Agricultural Open Burning

Agricultural Burning shall meet the following requirements:

• Must have two (2) acres of cultivated land or a fruit orchard of 25 or more fruit trees.
• Must be incident to and essential to the agricultural operation.
• Must be constantly attended by a person 18 years of age or older. .
• Must be conducted during daylight hours only.
• Must have means to extinguish or control the fire.
• All fires shall be extinguished at once if wind velocity exceeds 20 miles per hour or becomes so strong as to blow sparks that could possibly set fire to surrounding materials.
• Must comply with air quality index action forecast.  

State Law Requirements

The State Law also requires that farmers, who are going to burn any of the approved items, notify the nearest fire department prior to burning. Clinton City requires that you notify the fire department at 801-614-0840 and provide them with:

• An address where the burning will occur
• The materials that you will be burning.
• The name and the phone number of the responsible party for the burn
• Start and end times of the burn

Approved Burning Times

In addition, Clinton City limits open burning to daylight hours and on days that the Clearing Index provided by the National Weather Service is greater than 500. The Clearing Index is a measure of the atmospheric mixing and wind speed. A Clearing Index of 500 or less is considered poor atmospheric ventilation. Clinton City is part of Airshed 5. Click there for more information.

Safety Requirements

All agricultural fires must be kept a minimum of 50 feet from any structures. The responsible party must have a water supply or other means to control the fire. The fire must be constantly attended until completely out.

Recreational Fire

Recreational fires, such as fire pits, are allowed within Clinton City limits.

Regulations

There are some regulations that must be met in order to use and conduct a recreational fire.

• All persons conducting recreational fires must notify the fire department at 801-614-0840 prior to lighting the fire and provide them with the start and end times of the fire, the address where the fire will occur, and the name and a phone number of the responsible party for the fire.
• Ensure that the wood burned in a recreational fire is clean and dry. No trash or yard waste will be allowed to be burned in a recreational fire.
• Recreational fires or fire pits must be kept under 4-feet diameter and the wood pile no higher than 2-feet in height.
• The fire must be used solely for cooking, or other recreational purposes.
• The property where the recreational fire is conducted must be owned by the person conducting the fire or have written permission from the owner to kindle the fire.
• There must be a bucket of water, a hose or other means to extinguish the fire.
• These fires are to be constantly attended by a person 18 years of age or older.
• Recreational fires are not to be conducted within 25 feet of a structure or combustible material, including combustible trees and other vegetation. This also includes your property line.

Portable Outdoor Fireplaces

Portable outdoor fireplaces are also allowed to be used within Clinton City and are to be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and should not to be operated within 15 feet of a structure or combustible materials or the property line of the property that the fire will be conducted on.

Bon Fire

Any fire larger than the 4-foot diameter as described above is considered a Bon fire and can only be conducted with a written permit from the Fire Department.

Open Burning at a Glance:

• Must be incident to and essential to agricultural/horticultural operation.
• Property must be zoned agricultural.

Open Burning/Agricultural Burning

• If open burning creates a public hazard, the on-duty fire officer has the authority to either order the fire extinguished or extinguish the fire. When weather or other conditions make open burning a hazard such as winds etc. The officer on duty may deny all burning requests.
• Must be kept a minimum of 50 feet from all structures.
• Must comply with air quality index of 500 or greater. (Except for burning of ditch banks, fence lines, stubble on cultivated land, these are still asked to comply with air quality index.) However, they are not required to meet these requirements.
• Must have means to extinguish or control the fire.
• To be conducted during daylight hours only.
• Must be constantly attended.

Recreation or Cooking Fires

• For portable outdoor fireplaces, must be kept a minimum of 15-feet from all structures and other combustibles.
• Must be constantly attended by a person 18 years of age or older.
• Must be kept a minimum of 25-feet from all structures and other combustibles, including property lines.
• Must be kept under 2-feet in pile height.
• Must be kept under 3-feet in diameter.
• Must be used solely for cooking or recreational purposes.
• Must have a bucket of water, water hose or other means to extinguish.
• Must own the property or have written permission from the property owner to conduct the fire.
• Must only use clean, dry wood.

Wood Burning Stoves/Fire Places

The Utah Division of Air Quality (DAQ) issues mandatory no burn actions when fine particulate pollutions builds up to unhealthy levels during winter inversions. The no-burn period extends from November 1^st - March 1^st. State regulations prohibit residents from burning wood or coal on No burn days.

Clinton City Fire Department does not enforce or monitor this. For more information please contact the DAQ at 801-536-4000 or visit their webpage for more information.