7/31/2019 Burn Ban Guidelines August 3 2012

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/burn-ban-guidelines-august-3-2012 1/2

 

The follow ing guide lines are related to the Governor’s ban on o utdoor burning per Exec utive

Proclamation effective August 3, 2012. Nothing in these guide lines relieve s an ind ividua l fromresponsibility for his or her ac tions. If the use o f fire in co ntrac ting, we lding, coo king, or for any o the

purpose results in a wildfire, the individual conducting such activity is responsible for the immediate

supp ression o f the fire, and for da ma ge s which might oc c ur from suc h fire.

 As is broa d ly d efine d in O .S. Title 2, Artic le 16, Sec tion 16-26, the te rm ‘‘ unlaw ful burning ’’ is applied to

both land c ove r and p oint sources suc h as c amp fires and trash fires. It also a pp lies to o ther pote ntia

ignition sources for any land -cove r fire.

Two basic p rinc iples app ly to a ll of these situations:

1. Ind ividua ls a re responsible for the ir ac tions and the results of their

ac tivities; and

2. Rea sona b le c aution must be exerc ised w ith respec t to the existing high

fire danger and extra precautionary measures must be taken to

p revent wildfires.

Guidelines and exemp tions are outlined be low. For mo re spec ific

informa tion, conta c t Oklahoma Forestry Services (405) 522-6158.

FOR EQUIPMENT RELATED TO ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

Equipment w hich uses p rop ane or other c ont rolled -type burners is gene rally reg arded a s sa fehowever it would be prudent to have a water pumper on standby any time this equipment is used

nea r a g rassy right-of-way.

Othe r types of b urners pose a higher risk, pa rtic ularly if they are of open d esign or a re burning while

being transported . If a sa fety zone w ider tha n the flame length is esta b lished , these b urners are

gene rally sa fe. If they are pulled o nto a g rassy surfac e, the burner should be extinguished . A

concept of  ‘‘ rea sonab le a nd p rude nt’’ must be ap p lied whe n using this type of eq uipm ent.

WELDING/ CUTTING TORCH/ GRINDING ACTIVITIES

Outdoor welding or cutting torch activities cause many fires each year, and the ban is intended toprevent wildland fires c aused by this ac tivity. In ad d ition to the p ena lties presc ribed in the law fo

violations of the outdoor burning ban, operators may also be liable for damages caused by a fire,

and fo r the c osts of suppressing suc h fire. Extrem e caution is advised . Outd oo r we lding and c utting

torch a c tivities ma y continue under the follow ing c ond itions:

1. When cond uc ted over a non-co mb ustible surfac e of a t lea st 10 feet b y 10 feet a nd w hen

we ld ing b lankets or sc reens are used to c over flam ma b le veg eta tion; and

2. Wind spee ds must be less tha n 20 mp h; and

Guidelines for Oklahoma’s Ban on

Outdoor BurningIssued : Aug ust 3, 2012 

For Mo re Informa tion

Oklahoma Forestry Services405-522-6158

www.forestry.ok.gov

7/31/2019 Burn Ban Guidelines August 3 2012

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3. A fire wa tc h, other than the welde r, is posted a t the we lding/ c utting torc h site with p ressurized

water or fire extinguisher.

OILFIELD AND LANDFILL ACTIVITIES

Gas vents and flares associated with the extraction of oil and gas or the refining of oil and gas (or

othe r manufa c turing p roc esses or land fill ope rat ions) a re g enerally c onsidered exemp t from the ba n

as long as the to p of the vent p ipe is raised we ll above the surround ing veg eta tion.

Sludge p its a re c overed unde r the b an and should not b e b urned while it is in effec t.

STORM AND LAND CLEARING DEBRIS

Wood y de bris (limb s, branc hes, etc .) may b e b urned unde r the follow ing c ond itions:

1. An a ir-c urtain incinera tor, whic h burns the d eb ris in a p it below g round leve l, must be used ;

and

2. Dep artment of Environm enta l Qua lity Ope n Burning rules a re follow ed ; and

3. The a rea whe re the burn is c ond uc ted is c lea red of vege ta tion for a 100’ rad ius; and  

4. Wind spee d is less tha n 15 mph; and

5. Wate r and w a ter pum ping equipm ent is on-site.

CAMPFIRES AND OUTDOOR COOKING

Outd oor ca mp fires or bo nfires are p rohibited. LPG a nd natural ga s grills and c harcoa l-fired c ooking

outside in a grilling recep tac le a re p ermitted provide d that the ac tivity is c onduc ted over a non -

flamm able surfac e and a t lea st five feet from flamma b le veg eta tion. Co leman-type p ressurized

stoves are exempt. How eve r, any fire resulting from grilling or the use o f one of the se c oo kers or 

stoves is still an illeg a l fire.

FIREWORKS

Orga nized pub lic firew orks d isp lays are a llow ed und er this ban if the p ub lic firewo rks d isp lays a re

pe rmitted by a municipa lity with jurisdic tional autho rity and c ond uc ted by trained p rofessiona ls with

ap prova l of the loc al fire de partme nt or Sta te Fire M arshal’s Offic e. 

NATIVE AMERICAN CEREMONIAL FIRES

Native Ame ric an c eremo nia l fires c ond uc ted in Swe a t Lod ge s or over non-flamm able surfac es of a t

least 10 fee t b y 10 fee t a re exempt from this Ban.

STATE FIRE SCHOOLS AND FIRE TRAINING

Live b urns for firefighter training in conjunc tion w ith Sta te Fire Sc hoo ls and / or Firefighter Ac adem iesare exem pt from this Ban. The live b urns must b e he ld on training g rounds loca ted a t OSU Fire Servic e

Training Reg iona l Training fa c ilities, reg iona l Ca reer Tec hno logy Cente rs, or Fire Departme nt Training

fac ilities. The burns must also b e c ond uc ted over non-flammab le surfac es and b e held in

ac c orda nc e w ith Oklahoma Department of Environmenta l Quality Air Qua lity rules.

Live b urns for wild land fire t raining are not allowed.For a c op y of the c urrent b urn ban resolution or 

for the most up-to-da te informa tion g o to: 

www.forestry.ok.gov/ burn-ban-information