Mayor, fire chief discuss Bryant burn ordinance

The city of Bryant’s new burn ordinance will go into affect starting today.

Bryant Fire Chief J.P. Jordan said initially the fire department will be focused on educating people in the city about the new ordinance. The department has already been fielding questions.

“It is going to take a little bit to change,” he said, adding people have been used the old way for years.

He sees two changes as the biggest. Both affect those who own property less than two acres and when burning can occur.

The ordinance now only allows burning in March and April and October and November, changing from two three month periods to two month periods.

The ordinance also limits burning on the weekends to the second and fourth Saturdays during those months.

Jordan said the weekend limitations are a compromise to allow people to feel they can enjoy being outside without being overwhelmed with smoke.

One of the questions most often asked is about recreational fires, such as fire pits. Jordan said those are still allowed, but yard debris can’t be in the fire pit. Those are limited to dry wood to reduce the amount of smoke they put off. There are also limits on the size of recreational fire and it can’t be

too close to structures.

Jordan has been asked if burning is restricted, how do residents get rid of yard debris. The city has a yard waste pickup program that Jordan said has been successful. There has been enough demand it has gone from a few times a month to every Tuesday. There is no cost to participate in the program. Residents go on www. cityofbryant.com and click report a concern to create a ticket to have waste picked up.

Bryant Mayor Allen Scott said the yard waste program began last year.

Scott said the city had previously tried to pass a more strict version of the ordinance.

“Citizens weren’t happy with that,” he said.

The city formed a committee with residents from each ward.

Scott said the reason the city began working on this update to the ordinance is because smoke had become a nuisance for many in the city.

Burning is still permitted with the ordinance, but Scott asks those burning to try to do so efficiently to reduce the smoke.

Scott added there are new restrictions on commercial burning to reduce nuisance smoke from large burns. Commercial burners must get a permit. Residential burners don’t have to have one.

Jordan thinks once people are educated about the ordinance, there will be less fire calls.

He said when the department gets a call of a fire that violates the ordinance, fire fighters will hand out a flyer with frequently asked questions attached to a copy of the ordinance to educate violators. Information will also go out on social media and in the monthly news letter that is part of people’s water bill.

When the ordinance was passed during the October City Council meeting, the council chose not to pass the emergency clause to give people time from passage until the change goes into affect.