Effective Feb 26th, 2014
All open burning within city limits must obtain a city burn permit. A permit application must be filled out. You can do so online yourself at https://air.utah.gov/OpenBurning/form/index.php or click that link. Use the pull-down menu to choose Garland as your city. Fill out the required information. That information will be forwarded to the Garland Fire Department by email. The department will then coordinate as soon as possible to schedule a pre-burn inspection and confirm the clearing index is 500 feet or greater on the day of the burn. The national weather service can usually give a 3-day lead on the clearing index. However, conditions can change, affecting a person’s plans to burn.
If you do not have access to the internet, you can contact the city offices at 257-3118, and they can help you or put you in touch with a Garland Firefighter to assist you.
Residential burns are only allowed from March 30 through May 30 and again from September 15 through October 30. When the burn windows are closed, the permit application is not available. Agricultural burns outside the burn window will need to coordinate with the fire department, and a permit will be issued if conditions allow. Residential burns are $10.00 per burn. A flat, one-time $25.00 fee per year is required for agricultural burns in the city limits. The burning index can be checked here under Airshed 4 on the chart.
Clearing Index / Garland, UT – See Airshed 4 on the chart.
Burn permits are only valid for the day they are issued and the address they are issued to.
All fires must be out by dark. There are no burning Sundays or Mondays. Burning may begin at 10:00 am.
Only yard clippings, bushes, prunings from trees, or leaves incident to the property and residential cleanup activities may be burned. Trash, rubbish, tires, oils, fuels, plastic, wire sheathing, twine, construction material waste, or any other hazardous material is not to be burned. Any of those or similar items found to be burning will deem the burn to be considered an illegal burn.
Agricultural burning of fields requires a 50-foot fire break between any structure and area to be burned.
Agricultural areas for the purpose of open burning are areas greater than one acre, and the land must be used to raise crops or livestock. The fire department will determine this in the pre-burn inspection if there are any concerns or questions.
All fires must be monitored by a responsible adult at all times, with a reliable constant water source available.
If conditions become unsafe during the burn, which may cause the fire to become out of control or pose a threat, the permittee must extinguish the fire immediately. If the burn becomes out of control, the Garland Fire Department must be notified immediately via 911. Smoke or embers cannot become a nuisance or threat to neighbors’ property. If such a nuisance or threat arises, the fire must be extinguished.
Burning outside the burn windows without a permit and burning unauthorized materials will be considered an illegal burn, and the fire department will extinguish such fires. An illegal burn can lead to a conviction of a class C misdemeanor.
Recreational/Campfires are allowed without a permit. Such fires should be kept small, no more than 3-foot flame lengths. Fires must be contained to a portable, commercial-type fire pit or an in-ground fire pit. You must have a 5-foot barrier of no vegetation around the fire. A 5-foot barrier must be maintained from adjacent property lines.
All burning is done at your own risk. If the responsible party is found to be negligent, they can be held liable for all costs to extinguish any fire caused and any damages caused by the fire.
Click the link below to download the ordinance in pdf format.
Ordinance, O-14-02, Burn Permit Requirements
Why has open burning become so regulated?
The Utah Division of Air Quality has set forth the rules that govern open burning, which are contained in Utah Administrative Code (R-307-202). So, simply put, we are following the law.
If you have any questions, you can contact Garland city offices at 257-3118, who can put you in contact with the fire department.
Thank you for being so cooperative in this matter.