Burning is permitted in the Town of Neenah, but the Fire Department requests that you consider dryness and wind.

Please call the Winnebago County Sheriff's non-emergency number 920-236-7300 #0 before and after burning to avoid false alarms.


Town of Neenah Ordinance 5.05

(1) Purpose. It is the purpose of this Section to prevent the setting of fires within the Town of Neenah that create a nuisance or hazard to persons or property.

(2) Exceptions. This Section shall not apply to:
(a) Burning rubbish or trash in properly fire-screened barrels, cans, burners, or other
similar containers, provided all air openings are covered with wire screen with
openings no larger than one inch in diameter.
(b) Cooking fires in grills or in the open, unless said fires are recreational fires.
(c) Fires started in fireplaces, woodstoves, heating furnaces, pellet burners, or other
similar devices.
(d) Fires started for approved fire training.

(3) Regulation of Burning Generally
(a) Any person who sets a fire in the Town, whether on the ground, in a container, or
in a structure, must attend the fire until it is extinguished, subject to the
exceptions above in Subsection 5.05(2) herein.
(b) No person shall burn weeds, leaves, brush, grass, or any other rubbish on the
surface of Town roads.
(c) No person shall set a fire which causes smoke which creates a public nuisance
or causes diminished visibility for motor vehicle traffic on nearby roads.
(d) No person shall burn rubber, plastic, or other petroleum-based materials.
(e) Any person engaged in burning must ensure that the fire remains manageable
and controllable by that person.
(f) No person shall burn a large rubbish pile, large brush pile, or field unless the
Sheriff’s Department is notified in advance of burning those materials and
immediately after the fire is extinguished.
(g) No person shall burn a structure without prior approval in writing from the Fire
Chief or the Fire Chief’s designated representative.
(h) During times which the Town Board, Fire Chief, or any state, county or other
governmental authority with jurisdiction may choose to designate and publish as
“no burning”, any person who wishes to engage in burning must first obtaining a
permit from the Town Fire Chief or the Town Chairman.

(4) Recreational Fires
(a) Definition of Recreational Fire. Recreational fires are defined as user-started
personal fires used for cooking, warmth, or other personal enjoyment.
(b) No person shall build a recreational fire nearer than ten (10) feet from any tree,
shrub, bush, fence, building, or combustible material.
(c) All recreational fires shall be surrounded by a non-combustible material such as
concrete, brick, or stone, or be contained in a below-ground pit with a depth of at
least ten (10) inches.
(d) Any person who builds a recreational fire must personally attend the fire until it is
extinguished.

(5) Fires in Town Parks. Any person building a fire within a Town park must do so within a
portable or permanent grill and subject to all posted regulations. See Section 15.02
herein.

(6) Penalties. Any person violating the provisions of this Section will be subject to forfeiture
not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) and not more than $500.00 for each
offense, plus the reasonable costs incurred by the Town in fighting and putting out such
fire, plus an amount to be paid in restitution to any person whose person or property is
injured or damaged by such fire. Any person subject to forfeiture under this section must
also pay the costs of prosecution.