Outdoor Burning in Scott Township

Scott Township follows Allegheny County’s regulation on outdoor recreational fires. The significant requirements are:

* Fires may be no larger than 3’ wide by 3’ long by 2’ high.

* Only clean wood, propane, natural gas, wood pellets, commercially available fire logs or paraffin logs may be used as fuel. Charcoal may be used for cooking, and paper may be used only as a starter.

* Fires must be at least 15 feet from the nearest dwelling or inhabited area, including:

  • Property line (this could prohibit residents with properties less than 33feet wide from having an open fire)

  • Roadway

  • Sidewalk

  • Public access area

* Burning may be prohibited or reduced if it is considered a nuisance, based on the following criteria:

  • The severity of the amount of air pollutants (burning must be done in a manner which contributes a negligible amount of air contaminants)

  • The duration or frequency of open burning

  • The topography of the surroundings

  • The meteorological conditions, including fire spread danger from wind or dry conditions and air pollution danger from atmospheric conditions

* Open burning of brush is permitted only with an “Open Burning Permit” issued by the Allegheny County Health Department.

The entire regulation can be found here.

Scott Township imposes no regulation more restrictive than that imposed by Allegheny County.