CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — Whether you live in Ohio, Kentucky or West Virginia, fall fire bans go into effect starting October 1st and will restrict legal burn times. Depending on which state you call home, burn times and duration change slightly.
West Virginia Fall Burn Ban:
West Virginia allows burning under normal circumstances from 5 PM to 7 AM during the fall fire ban season. Fires must have a 10-foot safety strip around the fire of dirt or other non-burnable material such as stone. All fires must be attended at all times and having water nearby is advisable. Yard clippings, leaves, and other vegetation are the only materials allowed to be burned during legal times. Trash, garbage, or processed wood are prohibited at all times.
There are exceptions to these rules when it comes to small, attended campfires used strictly for cooking or warmth. The same safety strip rules apply. Fires are also allowed if 1 inch of snow is on the ground. West Virginia also allows burn permits by applying through the Division of Forestry for $125.
Burn ban violations carry criminal penalties with fines from $100 to $1,000 for each violation, plus a $200 civil penalty paid to the Division of Forestry. Local authorities and property owners can also take civil action to recoup losses from a fire or charge for resources used to put the fire out.
Kentucky Fall Fire Ban:
Kentucky has a statewide fall fire ban from October 1 – December 15 which restricts burning from 6 PM to 6 AM and must not be within 150 feet of any woodland or brushland. Kentuckians can only burn vegetation; garbage, plastics, tires, and processed wood products are strictly prohibited. Kentucky also allows burning when snow covers the ground.
Kentucky also gives power to local county judge-executives to further restrict burning from county to county, regardless of standing state law. A current list of county-specific bans can be found on the Team Kentucky website. Exceptions to this rule are small campfires used strictly for cooking or warmth.
Under Kentucky KRS 149.380, violations carry penalties no less than $1,000 up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both.
Ohio Fall Burn Ban:
Ohio’s Fall Burn Ban is a bit more restrictive, according to Ohio Revised Code 1503.18, which prohibits outdoor open burning in unincorporated areas from 6 AM to 6 PM from October 1 to November 31. Ohio Department of Natural Resources asks residents of Ohio to find alternative methods for disposing of yard waste other than burning.
Burning during 6 PM to 6 AM can not be within 1,000 feet from a neighbor’s inhabited building. No burning when air pollution alerts, warnings, or emergencies are in effect. Fire or smoke cannot obscure visibility on the roadway, railways, or airfields. No burning within village or city limits, or restricted areas, regardless of the statewide law. Multiple agencies, like local governments, fire departments, and/or the Ohio EPA, can restrict bans even further…