LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – With the beautiful weather here in mid-Michigan, it’s a perfect time to have a bonfire.
But before you grab the lighter, you need to see if your city requires a burn permit or is under a burn ban.
If you plan on heading up to the cabin this weekend, any city north of Saginaw County is under a strict burn ban due to the dry conditions.
But downstate is a little different. For Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, and Ionia counties, people must contact their local fire department to see about applying for a burn permit.
“You can apply for a permit for the City of Lansing here online as well as coming into the administrative offices at station number one,” said Lansing Fire Inspector Kerwin Norwood.
Norwood says Lansing is not issuing new burn permits at this time – but you can still apply.
The permits aren’t free but most fire departments in these counties allow for an annual payment
“It costs $50 for the year and the year is from April 1 to March 31 of the following year and you’re allowed to burn within those parameters of the time frames then,” said Norwood.
But once you get that burn permit it doesn’t mean that you can burn anything. As some cities don’t allow for debris burning of any kind. Like Lansing and East Lansing
“In regards to open burning such as grass clippings, brush, leaves. If those things were raked into a pile and burned that is prohibited in the city,” said Norwood.
Norwood wants to remind everyone that every city has different regulations in place.
“I would encourage anyone to contact their local fire department and determine what is allowed and isn’t in their municipality.”
