City of Salem Burn Ordinance
Sec. 10-2. Open burning.
(a) Open burning within the city is prohibited except as follows:
(1) Landscape wastes may be burned between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. of the same day, provided that the fire is attended at all times by a person not less than fifteen (15) years of age and provided that the burning is conducted entirely upon private property and not on any street alley, sidewalk, public way or public property and said fire must be completely extinguished by 4:00 p.m. A recreational fire is permissible provided the fire consists of no leaves, no grass clippings and no processed or milled lumber. A recreational fire must be completely extinguished after use.
(2) Landscape wastes means trimmings from trees, shrubs, and other plants, tree limbs, vines and the like. Open burning of leaves and grass clippings or any other matter or material is prohibited whether on public or private property.
(3) The burning of landscape wastes is prohibited whenever the fire marshal has determined that weather conditions make the burning within the city unsafe and has filed a written notice to such effect with the city clerk, the chief of police, city manager, and the fire chief.
(4) The burning of landscape wastes shall be halted and the fire immediately extinguished should the chief of police, city manager, code enforcement officer, the fire chief or the fire marshal determine that the particular burning is being conducted in an unsafe manner or unsafe place or constitutes a danger to the surrounding property or nearby structures.
(b) Any person who violates any provision of this section or who fails or refuses to comply with an order to extinguish a fire found to be burning in an unsafe or dangerous manner by the chief of police, city manager, code enforcement officer, fire chief or the fire marshal, upon conviction, shall be guilty of a violation of this section and shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
(Code 1971, § 11.01.1(n); Ord. No. 84-3, § II, 4-2-84; Ord. No. 93-32, § I, 12-6-93; Ord. No. 98-28, § 1, 10-5-98; Ord. No. 2003-18, § I, 9-2-03; Ord. No. 2004-01, § I, 1-19-04)