The St Joseph Fire Dept cancelled open burning Sunday and Monday due to sustained high winds.

Officials say that decision is made each day, so look for an announcement here on Tuesday.

Any violation of the open burning restrictions may result in a summons to appear in court for a misdemeanor violation.

City officials remind you that burning yard waste is not the only option.

 

Residents are encouraged to explore alternatives to open burning. Many options for disposing of yard waste are easy, do not contribute to air pollution, are not dependent on time restrictions or the weather, and provide the healthy benefit of physical activity while doing yard work instead of breathing acrid smoke from a waste fire. Such activities include mowing leaves into fine particles and leaving them lay to fertilize the lawn, or incorporating leaves into a mulch container to decompose into humus for use in vegetable and flower gardens or for use on lawns as a soil amendment.

Larger wood brush that can be chipped makes excellent mulch around trees and shrubs. Family and friends with gardens may want additional yard waste to use as mulch.

If weather conditions such as high winds indicate the safety of the community or the public may be endangered or if open burning may create a health hazard, the Fire Chief or Health Director may invoke a temporary burning ban.