The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Residents reminded not to burn fall leaves
With autumn just around the corner, local fire departments want to remind people to think twice before they decide to burn leaves.
“Burning leaves is something we get plenty of calls about during the fall season,” said Lorain fire Assistant Chief Matt Homolya. “It’s always an issue where we get called because someone is burning leaves in their backyard.
“They have the fire in a makeshift fire pit, barrel or some other method that they use. It’s a way they feel is the proper method of having a fire in their backyard.”
Homolya said there is a list of guidelines residents need to follow if they are burning on their property.
“First off, burning leaves is something you can’t do because it can harm folks who have breathing problems,” he said. “If you still want to have a fire, it needs to be at least 25 feet away from a structure.
“Structures include porches, sheds and fences. It also needs to be 25 feet away from trees and shrubs. If you can’t meet the distance requirement, then you shouldn’t be burning something in your yard.”
Intrusive
Homolya said burning can become an issue when it becomes intrusive.
“The smoke becomes an issue because it can be seen by neighbors or people driving by and then we get the call,” he said. “It’s a situation where the rules are set up to make sure the fire doesn’t catch a structure, or cause problems with others breathing.
“The main thing is that someone can see the fire getting out of hand; that’s when we get the call.”
Homolya said there also are requirements for fire pits.
“It needs to be three feet in diameter,” he said. “The fire can also not be more than two feet high, and it needs to be clean materials.
“This means it needs to be firewood or clean wood. That means the wood needs to have sat for a while after being cut.”
If the wood is freshly cut, it might have too much moisture and that causes a lot of smoke, Homolya said.
“The fire also needs to be attended by someone at all times, and you need to have a way of extinguishing the fire on hand,” he said.
Basically, the best way to dispose of leaves is to put them in yard bags for curbside pickup, Homolya said.
According to Lorain’s Public Properties Department, the official day for leaf pickup has not yet been determined.
It should be announced by the end of September, but residents can dispose of yard waste, including leaves, by placing them in brown paper yard waste bags for regular trash pickups.
For more information, call the Public Properties Department at 440-244-4294.
Suburban and rural areas
Florence Township fire Chief Nick Halliwell said there is confusion in the areas his department serves.
“There is the thought that people can burn anything they want because they own these large amounts of land, but that isn’t true,” Halliwell said. “There is an issue where there isn’t a pickup for leaves like there is in the city, but that still doesn’t mean you can burn leaves.
“It may cost more to dispose of them if you live in a rural area, but there’s nothing we can do about that. There is a misconception that if you live in the country, you can do whatever you want, but that isn’t true.”
Lorain County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Mike Lopez, who is a member of the Sheriff’s Office Environmental Crimes Unit, said a lot of people don’t know they can’t burn leaves.
“We follow the Ohio EPA,” Lopez said. “When you look up what is allowed for open burning, you can only burn clean wood.
“You can’t burn leaves, even if you live in the townships, because some spores can be released and it will affect people’s breathing.”
People need to check with whatever city or township they live in before burning items, Lopez said.
“You need to check where you live and see what is allowed,” he said. “The best way to get rid of leaves is to check if there are pickup days, or if they will be taken during regular garbage pickups.
“There are also designated places to get rid of yard waste if you live in Elyria and Amherst Township. The Elyria one can also be used by folks in the townships, but they will charge you.
“I don’t live in the city and I’m charged $5 to dispose of leaves at the Elyria facility. Everyone needs to check with their city or township and their garbage contracts to see what is allowed.”
According to the city of Elyria’s website, residents don’t have to wait for curbside pickup; all yard waste can be bagged in brown paper yard waste bags and taken to the Elyria Regional Compost Facility run by Barnes Nursery, 45 Chestnut St.
The facility is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesdays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays.
These times run through the end of November. The facility, which is closed from December through March, is free for Elyria residents and non city residents will be charged. For more information, visit http://www.cityofelyria.org/department/sanitation/yardwaste or call 419-656-9855.
Amherst Township residents may take yard waste such as branches, trimmings, grass cuttings and leaves to the Amherst Township property located on the east side of Oberlin Road, directly across from the Township Garage, 7530 Oberlin Road, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday; from 8-11 a.m., Saturday; and between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.