It's OK to Burn in Muskego, But When and Where?

Ah, the smell of tulips, daffodils and burning yard waste is in the air.

While the first two rarely involve neighborhood disputes in Muskego, the latter is often the fodder for police blotter reports.

Muskego Police Lt. Dave Constantineau reminded residents in his weekly newsletter that while burning is permitted in Muskego, there are some limitations you should be aware of before you light up that leaf pile: 

• Fires must be at least 20 feet from any body of water or waterway and at least 25 feet from any structure of combustible material. 
• The size of the pile being burned may not exceed 4 feet by 4 feet by 3 feet high, and may not include trash, garbage, construction or building materials. 
• Prior to lighting a fire, suitable firefighting equipment should be available 
• The wind velocity may not exceed 15 mph, as recorded by the U.S. Weather Bureau in Milwaukee. The wind direction shall be away from buildings so as not to carry smoke or soot into adjoining buildings, hanging laundry, or cause an annoyance to other persons. 

This last one is probably the most important, and the one people forget about the most, Constantineau said.

"If the smoke or odor from your fire is bothering someone else, and they complain to us about it, we will ask you to put it out," he stated. "So before you light up take a look around and talk with your neighbors. Understand that your right to burn ends where your neighbor’s right to clean air begins. If you keep the lines of communication open with your neighbors, you can avoid a visit from one of our officers."