Air Quality Program
Air Quality Program Manager
928-269-6669
Environmental Department
Air Quality Program Manager
P.O. Box 99110
Yuma, Arizona 85369-9110
Fax: 928-269-5216
Open Burning Regulations
It is unlawful for any person to ignite, permit to be ignited, or suffer, allow, or maintain any outdoor open fire (Arizona Administrative Code R18-2-602). Permits are required for all open burning.
Exceptions
Fires used only for cooking of food, providing warmth for human beings, or for recreational purposes. Any fire set or permitted by any public officer in the performance of official duty, if the fire is set or permission given for instruction in the method of fighting fires, except that the person setting these fires must comply with the reporting requirements.
Fire Fighter Trainging
Arizona Administrative Code R18-2-602(C)(2) exempts fire training from the permitting process.
MCAS Yuma’s Fire Department and Crash Fire Rescue (CFR) training division will call the Environmental Department Air Quality Section at 269-6669/3201 at least 24 hours in advance requesting clearance to burn the following day.
The Environmental Department Air Quality Section will make contact with the Air Quality Division of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). Phone calls to ADEQ will only be made by Environmental Department personnel.
Prior to the burn, the requester WILL take in to account and use best judgment to burn based on local weather conditions (i.e.: if overcast, it is not a good burn day because it will prevent smoke from rising, or high winds may create a smoke hazard.) Burning shall only be done when local weather conditions are favorable to:
- Prevent the dispersion of smoke into populated areas (such as housing).
- Prevent visibility impairment on traveled roads or at airports that result in a safety hazard.
- Do not create a public nuisance or adversely affect public safety.
- Do not cause uncontrollable spreading of the fire.
For other fire crew training, propane-burning training equipment (MAFTD) will be used. At the conclusion of each burn, Fire Department or CFR will submit a report to the Environmental Department Air Quality Section.
Range Activities
Arizona Administrative Code R18-2-602(C)(1) exempts fires used for cooking, human warmth, or recreational purposes from a permit. However, any fires on the ranges require authorization from Range Management Department at 269-2405.
Environmental, Range Management, or MAWTS-1 will brief all personnel entering into the range. This brief will include fire precautions and limitations.
In accordance with the Handbook for Environmental Compliance, by the Range Management Department, on the Barry M. Goldwater Range and the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range it states: “No open fires, wood cutting or collection of firewood shall be allowed. Charcoal fires are allowed.”
No trash, including paper, food wrappers, cans, bottles, plastic items, or batteries will be burned. The fire will be extinguished using water. The fire will not be left unattended until it is determined the fire is completely extinguished. The fire will not be abandoned until the embers are cool.
The fire shall not be started with items that cause the production of black smoke.
The fire shall be contained to prevent uncontrollable spreading. Do not have a fire if the weather conditions could cause loss of control of the fire.
Permission for burning on land other than what is controlled by MCAS Yuma is dependent on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) fire restrictions. These restrictions may be obtained at the Range Management Office, Building 1758, or phone 269-2405. Fires on Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) sites require permission from YPG Environmental Department at (928) 328-2754.
Construction Burning
In accordance with A.R.S. R18-2-602(D)(1), construction burning requires a burn permit.
Construction burning means the burning of wood or vegetative material from land clearing, site preparation, or fabrication, erection, installation, demolition, or modification of any buildings or other land improvements, but does not include burning household waste or prohibited material.
Prohibited material includes non-paper garbage from the processing, storage, service, or consumption of food; chemically treated wood, lead-painted wood; linoleum flooring, or composite counter tops; tires; explosives or ammunition; asphalt shingles; tar paper; plastic and rubber products, including bottles for household chemicals; plastic grocery and retail bags; waste petroleum products, such as waste crankcase oil, transmission oil, and oil filters; transformer oils; asbestos; batteries; anti-freeze; aerosol spray cans; electrical wire insulation; thermal insulation; polyester products; hazardous waste products such as paints, pesticides, cleaners, and solvents, stains, and varnishes, and other flammable liquids; plastic pesticide bags and containers; and hazardous material containers including those that contained lead, cadmium, mercury, or arsenic compounds.
Contractors must obtain a burn permit from the Station Fire Department prior to burning.
Contractors must call Environmental Department 24 hours prior to the scheduled burn for authorization. The Environmental Department Air Quality Section will make contact with the Air Quality Division of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). Phone calls to ADEQ will only be made by Environmental Department personnel.
Contractors must notify the Air Station Fire Department at 269-2285 prior to burning.
Prior to the burn, the requester WILL take in to account and use best judgment to burn based on local weather conditions (i.e.: if overcast, it is not a good burn day because it will prevent smoke from rising, or high winds may create a smoke hazard.) Burning shall only be done when local weather conditions are favorable to:
- Prevent the dispersion of smoke into populated areas (such as housing).
- Prevent visibility impairment on traveled roads or at airports that result in a safety hazard.
- Do not create a public nuisance or adversely affect public safety.
- Do not cause uncontrollable spreading of the fire.
All trash, including paper, cans, tires, and bottles will be removed from the wood prior to burning. No treated, laminated, or painted wood will be burned. All metal and plastic hardware will be removed prior to burning.
The fire shall be attended at all times until it is completely extinguished. Fires without a worker present will be reported to the Fire Department, 269-2285.
Fire extinguishing equipment must be on-site for the duration of the burn.
A copy of the burn permit must be on-site during open burning.
Burning shall be conducted year-round during the following periods:
- Ignite fire no earlier than one hour after sunrise
- Extinguish fire no later than two hours before sunset
Agricultural Out-Lease Burns
In accordance with A.R.S. R18-2-602(D)(1), agricultural burning requires a burn permit from the Air Station Fire Department., 269-2285.
Agricultural burning means the burning of vegetative materials related to producing and harvesting crops and raising animals for the purpose of marketing for profit, or providing a livelihood, but does not include the burning of household waste or prohibited materials. Agricultural burns may be conducted in fields, piles, ditch banks, fence rows, or canal laterals for purposes such as weed control, waste disposal, disease and pest prevention, or site preparation.
Prohibited material includes non-paper garbage from the processing, storage, service, or consumption of food; chemically treated wood, lead-painted wood; linoleum flooring, or composite counter tops; tires; explosives or ammunition; asphalt shingles; tar paper; plastic and rubber products, including bottles for household chemicals; plastic grocery and retail bags; waste petroleum products, such as waste crankcase oil, transmission oil, and oil filters; transformer oils; asbestos; batteries; anti-freeze; aerosol spray cans; electrical wire insulation; thermal insulation; polyester products; hazardous waste products such as paints, pesticides, cleaners, and solvents, stains, and varnishes, and other flammable liquids; plastic pesticide bags and containers; and hazardous material containers including those that contained lead, cadmium, mercury, or arsenic compounds.
Farmers must notify the Station Fire Department at 269-2285 prior to burning.
Farmers must follow time and weather restrictions for lighting fires.
- Ignite fire no earlier than one hour after sunrise
- Extinguish fire no later than two hours before sunset
- Prevent the dispersion of smoke into populated areas
- Prevent visibility impairment on traveled roads or at airports that result in a safety hazard
- Do not create a public nuisance or adversely affect public safety
- Do not cause uncontrollable spreading of the fire.
All trash, including paper, cans, tires, bottles, and dead animals will be removed from the dead wood prior to burning. No treated, laminated, or painted wood will be burned. All metal and plastic hardware will be removed prior to burning.
Fire extinguishing equipment must be on-site for the duration of the burn.
A copy of the burn permit must be on-site during open burning.
Fires must be attended at all times until the fire is completely extinguished. Fires without a worker present will be reported to the Fire Department.
At the conclusion of each burn, the farmer will provide the following information to ADEQ for each date open burning occurred, either on the day of the fire, or in an annual report due the 31st of March for the previous calendar year:
- Date of burn
- Type and amount of fuel burned
- Fire type (pile, pit)
- Location of the burn (latitude and longitude, or legal description to nearest section)