Controlled Burns

To report a controlled burn in Bradford County please DO NOT call 911

Instead, please dial 570-265-9101 to contact the Bradford County 911 Center directly, so as not to tie up the 911 lines.

What is a controlled burn ?

A controlled burn is any type of open burning, including but not limited to any fire that is not contained in some manner such as a burning barrel, any fire that will produce a large column of smoke, a good sized campfire, etc.

When in doubt, call and report your burn. It costs nothing more then a phone call and saves use from showing up at your house.

Why report a controlled burn ?

Reporting a controlled burn allows the 911 dispatchers to maintain a record of locations where large columns of smoke may be sighted and reported by the general public as possible fires. If no information is found for a given location, your local fire department will be called to the location for an unknown type fire. This puts a large number of emergency personnel and emergency equipment on the road which creates an inherent cautious/dangerous situation.

Additionally, failure to report a controlled burn, resulting in a fire department response, may carry with it possible fines in relation to several Athens Township ordinances.

What restrictions or regulations are there regarding controlled burning ?

There are several rules and regulations pertaining to controlled burning within Athens Township. These include the type of materials that can be burned, supervision requirements, etc.

For more information on ordinances pertaining to burning in Athens Township, please contact the Athens Township Municipal Building at 570-888-2325 during normal business hours.