Burn Permits

If you are planning to burn any material in the City of Columbia you are required to obtain a Burn Permit. Permits are free of charge. Call 931-560-1700 for more information.

Ordinance No: 4255

An ordinance amending Title 7 Chapter 6 of the Columbia Municipal Code by deleting Section 7-602(1), Section 7-603 and Section 7-604(6), and replacing said sections with a new Section 7-602 (1), Section 7-603 and Section 7-604(6) pertaining to open burning within the corporate limits of the City of Columbia, Tennessee.

Whereas, Title 7, Chapter 6 of the Columbia Municipal Code regulates open burning within the corporate limits of the City of Columbia; and

Whereas, the City Council of the City of Columbia wishes to amend the provisions relating to the open burning within the corporate limits of the City of Columbia.

Now therefore, be it ordained by the City of Columbia, as follows:

Section 1: That Title 7, Chapter 6, Section 7-602(1) is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with a new Title 7, Chapter 6, Section 7-602(1) as follows:

Section 7-602. Open Burning Prohibited

(1) No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit open burning of refuse, garbage, trade waste, trees, limbs, leaves, brush, grass, crops, flammables, combustibles or materials from construction or salvage operations within the entire city limits of Columbia except as specifically exempted by Section 7-603, "Exceptions to Prohibition."

Section 2: That Title 7, Chapter 6, Section 7-603 is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with a new Title 7, Chapter 6, Section 7-603 as follows:

Section 7-603. Exceptions to Prohibition

Open burning, as listed below, may be conducted subject to specified limitations and provided further that no public nuisance is or will be created by such open burning. As a general rule, open burning will not be permitted except between sunrise until one hour before sunset. Open burning must be conducted when ambient conditions are such that good dispersion of combustion products will result. This grant of exception shall in no way relieve the person responsible for such burning from the consequences, damages, injuries, or claims resulting from such burning.

Commercial barbecue fireplace
Non-commercial fire used for ceremonial or recreation purposes including cookouts.
Smokeless flares or safety flares for the combustion of waste gases.
Fires used to clear land consisting solely of vegetation grown on that land for agricultural, forest, or game management purposes provide a permit is obtained prior to burning pursuant to this title.
Fires set by or under the direction of responsible fire control agencies for the prevention, elimination, or reduction of a fire hazard.
The Fire Chief or Fire Marshal shall have the authority to allow open burning where there is no other practical, safe and/or lawful method of disposal.
The Fire Chief or Fire Marshal may at his/her discretion issue a written permit for a bon fire for ceremonial purposes provided the size does not exceed ten feet in height and ten feet at the base. Columbia Fire and Rescue must be notified at least two weeks in advance during regular business hours prior to the approval and ignition of a bon fire. If an organization wants to build a bon fire, a fire apparatus from the City of Columbia must be arranged to be on site during the ceremony at a fee of One Hundred Dollars ($100).
The Fire Chief or Fire Marshal may at his discretion issue a written permit for any resident provided the size does not exceed 3 feet in height and 3 feet at the base. These piles may not be within fifty (50) feet of any structure.
The Fire Chief or Fire Marshal shall have the authority to permit or prohibit open burning not specifically addressed herein.

Section 3: That Title 7, Chapter 6, Section 7-604(6) is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with a new Title 7, Chapter 7, Section 7-604(6) as follows:

Section 7-604. Permits for Open Burning

(6) Application for open burning permits shall be made in person at any one of the City of Columbia Fire and Rescue Stations at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to commencing open burning.

Section 4: That all Ordinances or parts of Ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

Passed and adopted by The City Council of the City of Columbia, Tennessee, on the 12th day of September 2019.