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Lake Elmo fire officials propose restricting open burning in denser neighborhoods; prairie restoration allowed with licensed contractors
Summary
Fire Chief Kalis told the Lake Elmo City Council workshop that enforcement experience under the city’s 2022 open‑burning ordinance supports restricting open burns in denser and residential areas while continuing to permit agricultural burns and licensed prairie restorations.
Fire Chief Kalis briefed the Lake Elmo City Council workshop on the city’s open‑burning permit program, the department’s enforcement experience since the ordinance update in April 2022, and staff recommendations for narrowing allowable open burns as the city becomes denser.
Kalis said the city issues three broad outcomes when people seek burn permits: applicants who apply and comply, applicants who apply but do not comply, and people who do not apply. The department has granted many permits safely—particularly for agricultural cleanups and licensed prairie restorations—but it has also seen nuisance incidents and dangerous deviations (for example, unplanned addition of fresh green…
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