Burning Permits

MINNESOTA OPEN BURNING PERMITS

Recently, St. Louis County (including Canosia Township) was added to the electronic Open Burning Permit system.  You now have the option of getting your permit on-line or at your local Township Fire Warden or Forestry Office.  It also means that you must activate your permit with a telephone call before you burn.  When you activate your permit, the local law enforcement dispatching office will have the latest information on active permits to help protect the community from wildfires and false runs.

You have two basic choices when you are picking up your Open Burn Permit.

If you choose to get a permit over the internet, you will be charged a $5.00 fee, but get a permit that is good for the rest of the calendar year until December 31st and can be activated as often as burning conditions allow.  The website address is http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/burningpermits.

If you choose to get a permit from your local Township Fire Warden, you may get a one day or three day permit.  The difference is that the one day permit is good for burning on that day only, while the three day permit allows you to pick a future start date.

No matter where you get your permit, there are four important points to know.

  1. You must activate the permit daily by calling 1-866-533-2876.  This applies to the handwritten permits and the internet permits.  Write the activation number on your permit in the space provided.  Failure to activate the permit or failure to write the activation number on your permit can result in a legal violation and a potential fine.
  2. The paper permits have a preprinted number 1 at the start of the permit number.  When you activate the permit, this number 1 must be entered on your telephone keypad, followed by the handwritten permit number.
  3. Read the restrictions and requirements on your permit.  There have been some changes to the list in the new system and it is important for you to read and understand them.  Contact your local Forester if you have questions.
  4. If you are unable to activate the permit using the 1-866-533-2876 number, please contact your local forestry office at 507-724-5261 (ext 5).