For burning permits within city limits contact the Chatfield Fire Chief at 507-884-4423.

The DNR issues burning permits outside of the city limits. For more information see Burning Permit Information.

Burning Permits are required when:

• when the fire is more than 3 feet high and 3 feet in diameter.
• when the ground is not completely covered by a minimum of 3 inches of snow.
• when the fire is not contained in either an approved burner or in a cooking or heating device such as charcoal grill or camp stove.

A burning permit is not needed for recreational fires less than 3-feet-by-3feet in size.

However, recreational fires must meet the following criteria;

• Not be larger than 3' feet by 3' feet
• Contain only natural, clean burning wood such as twigs or logs
• Must be surrounded by a fire ring
• Be supervised at all times until the fire has been extinguished
• Not be within 25' feet of any building.  This can be reduced to 15' feet when fully enclosed in a portable fire pit
• Not be conducted if winds are more than 15 miles per hour or are in the direction of nearby structures
• Not be conducted if a total burning ban is in effect
• Have a source of extinguishment nearby (hose, bucket of water, fire extinguisher, etc.)
• Be discontinued if deemed hazardous or a nuisance by a member of the fire department or police department.

For fires larger than 3-feet-by-3-feet, such as burning a pile of wood or brush, you must apply for an open burning permit.

Chatfield Fire Department strives to give the citizens of Chatfield and the surrounding area the best fire protection possible. One of the ways in which we try to accomplish this task is to train our firefighters to very high standards. Chatfield firefighters train every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month along with attending countless hours of classroom time. Chatfield firefighters are found traveling throughout the state so they can attend the best training possible.

Chatfield Fire Department is very fortunate to have several firefighters that are certified and qualified to instruct in many areas. Along with in-house training, the department is supported by many different and professional agencies. Riverland Technical Community College provides hours and hours of fire training, both hands-on and classroom. Chatfield firefighters are also provided emergency medical training by highly professional EMT instructors from the Chatfield Ambulance EMS training staff.