Burn Permits
The Murfreesboro Fire Department is responsible for issuing open burn permits (requests) for the City of Murfreesboro. Citizens outside the City of Murfreesboro in Rutherford County need to contact the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry to obtain a permit. Permits for the county are only required between October 15th and May 15th of each year. The Division of Forestry’s number is 1-800-337-3157. Permission to burn in the City of Murfreesboro is ALWAYS REQUIRED.
The Murfreesboro Fire Department’s fire marshal decides on a daily basis if weather and other conditions are favorable for burning. The fire marshal may prohibit any or all bonfires and outdoor rubbish fires when atmospheric conditions and local circumstances make such fires hazardous. If the fire marshal has declared a “no burn day or days” NO EXCEPTIONS will be made.
A person wishing to burn in the City of Murfreesboro must contact the Fire Administration office Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:00 am-10:00 am. Office personnel will obtain information from the individual requesting to burn (Name, Phone #, Location of Burn). Personnel will decide if an engine company needs to visit a burn site prior to granting permission to burn on an individual basis. Burn permits are only good for the day on which they are obtained.
No person shall kindle or maintain any bonfire or rubbish fire or authorize any such fire to be kindled or maintained without a permit or other proper authorization. The burn permit site must be no less than 50 feet from any structure and adequate provisions must be made to prevent the fire from spreading within 50 feet of any structure. A competent person must constantly attend burn permit sites until such fire is extinguished. Such person shall have a garden hose connected to the water supply, or other fire extinguishing equipment readily available for use.
The following products shall not be burned: oil base products, roofing materials such as shingles, sheet rock, insulation, foam products, plastic products, and rubber products including tires.
For more information on burning please view the “Learn Before You Burn” brochure from the Division of Forestry:
http://www.state.tn.us/environment/apc/pdf/OpenBurningBrochure.pdf