Regulations and Safety

Burn Ban Criteria and Determination (Daily)

Burn bans are now determined daily. NWS (National Weather Service) is out source of determination for the day and is published daily online _Geary County Emergency Management Facebook Page) or individuals can call 785-238-1290 - Emergency Management Office - after 8AM each morning.
Burning is strictly prohibited on days where the determination has been made as NO BURNING ALLOWED. A local determination may be made based upon the following variables: 

1. Local jurisdictional authority
2. Fire Danger is is high but the forecast is for sustained winds of greater than 15mph.
3. Fire Danger is low is low or moderate, but the forecast is for sustained winds greater than 20mph.
4. Resource limitation
5. Local conditions of dryness

back to top of page

Burn Hotline (Get the Burn Status and Record Your Burn):

Geary County has a burn hotline for those wishing to burn. Call 785-238-1290 to hear the current burn status and to record your burn with the Geary County Emergency Management/ Dispatch Center (as required by the resolution).
Be prepared to share the following information when logging your burn:

• Burn permit number
• Location of the intended burn and the name, address and telephone number of the person responsible
• Duration and schedule of the burning
• Description of the proposed burn
• Follow up with a call back in to let us know your burn is complete

back to top of page

Allowed Open Burning:

Allowed open burning in the unincorporated areas of Geary County is limited to the following:

• Agricultural open burning.  The open burning of vegetation such as grass, woody species, crop residue, and other dry plant growth for the purpose of crop, range, pasture, wildlife or watershed management (this includes the burning of routine brush piles accumulated from the property). Brush, limbs, and other materials brought from offsite are not exempted from open burning regulations and shall not be burned
• Residential open burning. Not for City Limit Use.  Please call the Junction City Fire Department at 785-238-6822
• Open burning for cooking purposes on public or private land regularly used for recreational purposes.  

back to top of page

Rules and Regulations for Open Burning (other than agricultural burning):

• The person conducting the burn shall notify Geary County Emergency Management or the local fire control authority with jurisdiction over the area before the burning begins. This can be done by calling the Geary County Emergency Management/Rural Fire Department 
• A person shall not conduct an open burn that creates a traffic safety hazard. If conditions exist that may result in smoke blowing toward a public roadway and/or if the burn will take place within 1,000 feet of the roadway, the person conducting the burn shall give adequate notification to the Highway Patrol, Sheriff’s Office, or other appropriate state or local traffic control authorities before burning. (K.A.R.)
• A person shall not conduct an open burn that creates an airport safety hazard. If smoke may affect visibility at an airport and/or is within one mile of an airport, the person conducting the burn shall give adequate notification to the appropriate airport authorities before burning. (K.A.R)
• The person conducting the burn shall ensure that the burning is supervised until the fire is extinguished. (K.A.R.)
• The person conducting the burning shall stockpile the material to be burned, dry it to the extent possible before it is burned, and assure that it is free of matter that will inhibit good combustion. (K.A.R.)
• A person shall not burn heavy smoke-producing materials including heavy oils, tires, and tarpaper. (K.A.R.) 
• A person shall not initiate burning during the nighttime, which for the purposes of this regulation is defined as the period from two hours before sunset until one hour after sunrise. A person shall not add material to a fire after two hours before sunset. (K.A.R.)
• A person shall not burn within 1,000 feet of any occupied dwelling, unless the occupant of that dwelling has been notified before the burn. (K.A.R.)

back to top of page

Rules and Regulations for Agricultural Burning (as defined in the Geary County Resolution and the K.A.R. 28-19-648):

• The person conducting the burn shall notify Emergency Management/Dispatch Center with jurisdiction over the area before the burning begins. This can be done by calling the Emergency Management Office at 785-238-1290.
• A person shall not conduct an open burn that creates a traffic safety hazard. If conditions exist that may result in smoke blowing toward a public roadway, the person conducting the burn shall give adequate notification to the Highway Patrol, Sheriff’s Office, or other appropriate state or local traffic control authorities before burning.
• A person shall not conduct an open burn that creates an airport safety hazard. If smoke may affect visibility at an airport, the person conducting the burn shall give adequate notification to the appropriate airport authorities before burning.
• The person conducting the burn shall ensure that the burning is supervised until the fire is extinguished.
   

back to top of page

State Statutes, Resolution and Penalties

Always make sure you follow Kansas statutes and regulations regarding burning! They are found under: K.A.R. 28-19-645, K.A.R. 28-19-647 and K.A.R. 28-19-648 (Authorized by K.S.A. 65-3005 and K.S.A. 65-3010).

A general violation of open burning policy will result in a Class C misdemeanor or a Class A misdemeanor during a burn ban, in accordance with K.S.A 48-939.

back to top of page