It shall be unlawful for any person to allow to accumulate or to keep in any part of any building or outside of and adjacent to any building or in any alley, sidewalk, street or premises within 30 feet of any building any rubbish, trash, waste paper, excelsior, empty boxes, barrels or other combustibles which shall constitute a fire hazard.

(Code 2016)

It shall be unlawful for any person to deposit, stack or store any hay or straw within 500 feet of any building located inside the fire limits of the city.

(Code 2016)

It shall be unlawful to keep excelsior or other packing material in any other than metal or wood metal line boxes or bins having self-closing or automatic covers. All refuse and trash from rooms where packing or unpacking is done shall be removed daily.

(Code 2016)

It shall be unlawful to store ashes inside of any nonfireproof building unless they are stored in a noncombustible container or receptacle, and a clearance of at least five feet shall be maintained between such container or receptacle and any combustible materials not placed therein. Ashes shall not be stored outside of any building in wooden, plastic, or paper product receptacles or dumped in contact with or in close proximity to any combustible materials.

(Code 2016)

The engines of motor vehicles shall be stopped when the gasoline tanks of such vehicles are being filled with gasoline at service stations or other places where gasoline is supplied to motor vehicles. The driver or person in control of such vehicle when the gasoline tank of same is being filled who refuses, neglects or fails to stop the engine of such vehicle shall likewise be guilty of a violation of this code.

(Code 2016)

It is unlawful for any person to cause or create anywhere within the city, or to permit on any premises under his or her control, any situation or condition that is conducive to or likely to cause or permit the outbreak of fire or the spreading of fire. Any situation or condition conducive to the outbreak of or spreading of fire, is declared to be a fire hazard. The violation of or failure to comply with any law pertaining to the storage, handling or use of inflammable oils, explosives, liquefied petroleum gases, or fertilizers and all wires and other conductors charged with electricity, is declared to be a fire hazard. The placing of stools, chairs or any other obstruction in the aisles, hallways, doorway, or exit of any theater, public hall, auditorium, church or other place of indoor public assemblage, or the failure to provide any such place of public assemblage with sufficient, accessible and unobstructed fire exits and escapes is also declared to be a fire hazard. The obstruction of any street, avenue, alley, fire hydrant or any other condition that might delay the fire department in fighting fire is declared to be unlawful.

(Code 2016)

It shall be the duty of the fire chief to inspect or cause to be inspected by fire department officers or members, as often as may be necessary all buildings, particularly all mercantile buildings, manufacturing plants, warehouses, garages, hotels, boarding houses, rooming houses, theaters, auditoriums and all places of public assemblage, for the purpose of discovering the violation of any fire preventive law or any fire hazard and ascertaining and causing to be corrected any conditions liable to cause fires and to see that all places of public assemblage, hotels and rooming houses have sufficient and unobstructed facilities for escape therefrom in case of fire.

(Code 2016)

Whenever any officer or member of the fire department shall find or discover any fire hazard or shall find in any building or upon any premises combustible or explosive material or dangerous accumulation of rubbish or unnecessary accumulation of paper, boxes, shavings or any other inflammable material, so situated as to endanger property by the probability of fire, or shall find or discover any violation of this chapter or any other law hazardous to public safety from fires, the fire chief shall order the fire hazard or danger from the fire forthwith abated and remedied and such order shall be complied with immediately by the owner or occupant of such buildings or premises. If the hazard or condition ordered abated and remedied is a violation of, or a failure to comply with any law, the fire chief shall report the matter to the city attorney and he or she shall, if he or she deems it advisable, prosecute the offender.

(Code 2016)

Any order made under section 7-212 shall be in writing and may be served personally upon the owner or occupant of the premises or by leaving it with any person in charge of the premises or if the premises are unoccupied and the owner is a nonresident of the city, then by mailing a copy to the owner’s last known post-office address. One notice to either the occupant or owner shall be sufficient. The fire chief shall keep a record of and copies of all such orders and notices and shall follow up such notices at the expiration of the time for compliance therewith and when complied with make proper entry, and if not complied with, file complaint with the municipal court against the property owner and/or occupant.

(Code 2016)

(a)   The City Council recognizes the desire of the citizens of Clifton to use and enjoy outdoor fireplaces and recreational fires, and yet require a permit for any other type of burning within the city limits.

(b)   The City Council adopts from the International Fire Code the following definitions for use in this section:

(1)   Portable Outdoor Fireplace: A portable, outdoor solid fuel burning fireplace that may be constructed of steel, concrete, clay or other noncombustible material. A portable outdoor fireplace may be open in design, or may be equipped with a small hearth opening and a short chimney or chimney opening in the top.

(2)   Recreational Fire: An outdoor fire burning materials other than rubbish or brush where the fuel being burned is not contained in an incinerator, outdoor fireplace, portable out door fireplace, barbeque grill or barbeque pit and has a total fuel area of 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth, or similar purposes.

(c)   The City of Clifton has developed the following policies governing the regulation and enforcement of this section regarding recreational fires and burning needing a permit:

(1)   Portable outdoor fireplaces shall not be operated within 15 feet of a structure, property line or combustible materials.

(2)   Portable fireplaces shall not be used on a combustible deck.

(3)   Recreational fires must be enclosed by some noncombustible fire ring at least 1 foot in height above the ground and shall not be constructed within 25 feet of a structure, property line, or combustible materials.

(4)   Outdoor fireplaces, other than portable, must be constructed of noncombustible materials and shall not be constructed within 15 feet of a structure, property line, or combustible materials unless constructed under the provisions of the International Fire Code.

(5)   Outdoor fires that are deemed, by the fire chief, offensive or objectionable because of smoke emissions or when atmospheric conditions or local circumstances made such fire hazardous shall be prohibited.

(6)   Combustible materials which could cause a fire to spread shall be eliminated or at least mowed short in the immediate area prior to ignition.

(7)   Ashes shall be discarded in a noncombustible container and kept outside of any structure.

(8)   Firewood can be a maximum of 2 feet long.

(9)   Use of flammable and combustible fluids such as gasoline, alcohol, diesel fuel, kerosene or charcoal fluid to light and relight fires is prohibited.

(10) Garbage, asphalt, petroleum products, paints, rubber products, plastics, treated wood, construction debris, metal or any substance that normally releases toxic emissions, dense smoke, or obnoxious odors when burned shall not be used as fuel.

(11) While a fire is burning or smoldering, it must be attended at all times.

(12) Buckets, shovels, garden hose or a fire extinguisher with a 4A or greater rating shall be readily available for use while a fire is burning or smoldering.

(13) Burn bans by the State of Kansas, Clay County, Washington County, or the City of Clifton shall be strictly enforced.

(14) Burning shall be prohibited when wind speeds are in excess of 10 miles per hour.

(15) A burn permit from the City of Clifton Fire Chief shall be required for all burning other than a recreational fire as defined in Section 2, 7-210(b). For the purpose of this ordinance, a barbeque grill is considered a recreational fire. There shall be no charge for such permit.

(16) This section shall be enforced by the City of Clifton and County Law Enforcement as necessary, or any other law enforcement officer certified by the State of Kansas.

(Ord. 444)