THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 27, 1994 TAG: 9411240222
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: SPECIAL TO THE CLIPPER
LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
The autumn leaves are beautiful, but after they fall from the trees, there's the problem of what to do with them.
The traditional way of disposing of leaves and other yard waste is to burn it. But before you burn, make sure it's done safely and within the guidelines of Chesapeake's Open Air Burning Ordinance. Filing to follow the city's guidelines could result in a summons and a hefty fine.
According to the ordinance, Chesapeake residents may burn leaves, grass, straw, tree limbs, vines and other types of yard trash.
When these items are burned, residents must follow several safety steps:
A responsible person must be in attendance at all times. Fires must never be left unattended.
A water source must be on the site.
Burning must not be done in high winds.
Burning piles must be at least 50 feet away from structures.
Fires in a barrel must be at least 15 feet away from any structure.
Burning on city rights-of-way is prohibited.
Commercial businesses must obtain a special permit to burn yard material. The permit will state what type of material may be burned and any other restrictions along with the size and number of piles to be burned.
Farmers may burn in the course of planting and growing crops and raising fowl and animals.
It is illegal for anyone to burn the following items at any location: tires, asphalt shingles, plastics, paint cans, general trash or refuse, oil or petroleum liquids, animal waste, animal carcasses and any material that produces black smoke. ILLUSTRATION: CALL AND CHECK
To make sure you're burning safely and legally and for a list of
all Chesapeake outdoor burning restrictions, contact the Chesapeake
Fire Prevention Bureau at 547-6566 or 547-6165.
by CNB