OHIO Officials issue warnings on open burning laws

No open burning of refuse or brush is allowed in Youngstown.
By JOHN SKENDALL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Warning to all Mahoning Valley residents: Know the rules before you burn.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources says residents should read up on Ohio's open-burning laws before putting a match to that pile of leaves or brush in the back yard.
The EPA and the ODNR have specific debris-burning regulations meant to keep down pollution and allergies and to avoid the risk of forest and field fire during Ohio's dry season.
"This year, as much as 5,000 acres of Ohio's forest and fields are likely to burn due to carelessness," said John Dorka, chief of the ODNR Division of Forestry.
Ohio landowners may burn outdoors only for the purpose of cooking if they live in a restricted area. This includes land within 1,000 feet of a municipality and areas within a mile of communities larger than 10,000 people.
The only exceptions are for occupational needs, including heating tar and using welding torches.'
Not allowed in city
Youngstown is listed as a restricted area. As such, no open burning is allowed, said Hubert Clardy, the city's chief fire inspector.
Rural landowners outside the restricted area may burn agricultural, landscaping and residential wastes provided the burning is done at least 1,000 feet from any inhabited buildings on neighboring properties.
Land-clearing wastes may be burned with prior written permission from the Ohio EPA.
The EPA prohibits all landowners from burning rubber, grease, asphalt and petroleum materials at any time without agency permission.
In addition, ODNR's Division of Forestry prohibits outdoor burning in rural areas between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. during the typically dry months of March, April, May, October and November.
On first offense, landowners who break the open-burning regulations are usually issued a written warning. The Northeast Ohio Air Pollution Control department says ongoing and repeat offenders have been fined from $300 to $1,000.