The Greene County Health Department has listed below the guidelines to follow to not become a nuisance to your neighbors while you are cleaning up your property.

• The allowable materials to burn are wood (non-treated or unpainted), paper, cardboard and yard clippings/wastes. Plastics, metals, furniture, trash, wire and tires are not allowed and can cause severe health problems for anyone with a respiratory illness (Subject up to $3,000 fine by Illinois Environmental Protection Agency).
• Inspect your burn site, do not burn directly under a tree or next to shrubbery, flammable materials, buildings or vehicles, etc.
• Utilize a safe area to burn burnables such as burning barrel, a pit or other type of containment to burn in or on to reduce the chance of lighted debris blowing onto other properties and creating a fire.
• Be considerate of your neighbors; the act of open burning approved materials shall only be performed when the wind is still so the smoke will go upward or blow in a direction that will not create a nuisance to your neighbors. The act of open burning shall be ceased permanently if complaints are received.
• When burning your debris try to burn small amounts at a time to reduce the smoke and the chance of the fire getting out of control.
• Do Not leave fire burning unsupervised.
• Prior to lighting a fire, have a water supply for emergency use such as extinguishing spot fires or an out of control fire. If the area is dry where you plan to burn consider saturating the outer area around the fire prior to lighting your burn pile.