Open burning is back for Washoe County residents that qualify for the program.
Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue is allowing pile burning the first week of every month. And this year, it's even easier to get a burn permit.
"There's an application for a burn permit you need to fill out, it's on our website in the upper right-hand corner, and it'll tell you if you qualify," said TMFR Chief Charles Moore. "You need to have at least an acre of land, two acres if you're in the Truckee Meadows Hydrographic Basin, and in the City of Reno and the City of Sparks there's no open burning. But when you go through the permit process it will tell you if you're qualified to burn."
This whole program is weather dependent - so make sure to call the burn hotline to make sure burning is allowed that day.
Residents only need one permit for the entire season, but there are some precautions you should take every time you burn.
"You need to have the proper equipment - shovels, rakes, and preferably a water supply," Moore said. "It needs to be attended, and keep the size of those piles down to a minimum. If you need to have several, that's fine, but nothing too big, please. We do have a history of burn piles escaping and starting the neighbor's fence on fire and we want to avoid that."
TMFR collected 15,000 cubic yards of green waste in their last collection, and this is another option to create defensible space around homes in the district - something that can make all the difference come wildfire season.
"We realize that not everyone can take advantage of our green waste program," Moore said. "Some large lot owners in the more rural areas have large trees and stumps that they just need to burn; they can't transport that to one of our sites."
Open burning is for green waste only.
To contact Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue burn line, call (775)326-6000
To find out more about burn permits click here
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