Law On Outdoor Fires Returns To Council Table

FULTON, NY – As summertime gears up, the city of Fulton is working to get a local law in place to safely allow outdoor fires within the city limits.

“We’ve got to do something,” Fulton Mayor Ronald Woodward said. “Right now, it is illegal to have outdoor fires in the city. We are just setting down some criteria so that can happen.”

Fulton Fire Chief Anthony Gorea raised the proposal in April in a letter to the city’s legislative committee. Gorea explained that safety of residents was the primary reason for the need to put the law in place.

In that letter, Gorea pointed out that the only outdoor fires currently allowed under the city’s property conservation code are for outdoor cooking. The department’s policy at this time, he said, is to extinguish any fire that is not used for cooking and contained in a device intended for cooking when dispatched to an outdoor fire.

“Fire can easily get out of control,” Gorea said at the time. “I am of the opinion that outdoor fires are not in the best interests of safety for the city or its residents. However, providing prudent regulation will allow for a safer conduct of these types of fires, and also provide a means to identify problems, establish corrective measures or take corrective action.”

The proposed law came in several pages long and included definitions, administration, enforcement procedures, regulations and prohibited acts.

“Most people are very responsible when it comes to having small fires outside,” Woodward said. “But there are some who will burn garbage or construction debris too close to structures.”

For some with smaller yards, Woodward said outdoor fires could quickly become dangerous.

The matter was first brought to the Fulton Common Council in May. At that time, the proposed local law was pulled from the agenda before discussion and sent back to the drawing board to flesh out details that were not addressed.

Woodward noted at the time that a penalty structure was needed before the city could move forward with the proposed law.

Under the proposed penalty structure, a person convicted of an offense will be subject to:

• A fine of $25 for the first conviction.
• A fine of $50 for the second conviction.
• A fine of $100 and/or up to 15 days in jail at the Oswego County Correctional Facility for the third conviction.

Three violations also gives the city the authority to suspend or revoke a permit for up to nine months.

The proposed local law also includes a schedule for permit fees that includes $100 for an open burning permit, $15 for a bonfire permit and $25 for an annual recreational fire permit.

“I am going to ask the council to waive the permit fees,” Woodward said. “I don’t think we need the fee schedule. The intent is not to make money. It is just to make it safe and legal to have outdoor fires in the city.

A public hearing has been set on the matter for Tuesday evening at the Fulton Common Council Chambers at the municipal building. The meeting will start at 7 p.m.

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