A permit is required for any wood burning recreational fire within the City of St. Louis Park, including fire pits and other devices designed for outdoor recreational fire use. Permits are not required for barbecue grills or natural gas or propane fire pits.

Note: Fires used to dispose of debris are not considered recreational fires. Yard waste, including grass, leaves, branches, twigs, garbage and recycling, must be disposed of through your garbage hauler or through the city’s brush drop-off site. These materials can't be burned.

How to apply

Mail or drop off the complete the recreational fire permit application, along with the $25 application fee, to Fire Station 1, 3750 Wooddale Ave. S., or city hall, 5005 Minnetonka Blvd.

Renters are required to have the property owner sign a permission letter and provide it with the permit application.

Fee

The $25 application fee is a one-time fee for a lifetime permit for the permit holder residing at the property. The permit is non-transferable, and the fee is non-refundable should the permit request be denied.

Fire site inspections

Before a permit can be issued, an inspection of the fire site must be completed and approved by the St. Louis Park Fire Department. Inspections will be conducted within five business days of receipt of permit application. Inspections typically take place Monday – Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. You don't need to be present for the inspection, unless you need to provide access to the area where the recreational fire will be located.

If you are home during the inspection and your property meets the proper setbacks, we will leave the approved and signed permit with you. Otherwise, we will send the approved permit to you in the mail.

Rules and safety reminders

• In St. Louis Park, recreational fires are permitted Sunday – Thursday between 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday between 11 a.m. – midnight.
• Minnesota Fire Code states recreational fires must be 25 feet away from any structure (house, garage, deck, shed, etc.). City ordinance states the fires must be 10 feet away from the property line.
• Only burn untreated, unpainted, clean, dry, aged firewood that is at least 1 inch in diameter. Fires that are unreasonably offensive or injurious to others as determined by the city will be required to be extinguished.
• Recreational fires are not allowed when prevailing winds are greater than 10 miles per hour, or if the state has issued burning restrictions. Please visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency website for information about current restrictions.
• The permit holder is responsible for conducting, controlling and extinguishing the fire. All fires must be extinguished completely to ensure that there is no smoldering or potential for reigniting. Never leave a fire unattended, and always have a garden hose or fire extinguisher nearby.

Note: A person without a permit or in violation of any provision of the permit is subject to a civil penalty fine of $100 and/or guilty of a misdemeanor under the City of St. Louis Park Ordinance Section 14-80.

Be a good neighbor

Follow the rules in the recreational fire permit, and please consider your neighbors as well. Remember that smoke and the smell of smoke often carries into neighboring homes, even on calm days. Not everyone likes the smell of a campfire (especially inside their home). The smell of smoke can be an irritant, and young children, the elderly and people with asthma, lung or heart disease are especially vulnerable to wood smoke in the air.

What to do if you suspect an illegal burn

If you suspect an illegal burn, call 911 and let us investigate and educate.