Fire Chiefs Grant Christmas Eve Burn Permit Amnesty

From a City of Santa Fe press release...

Santa Fe has many Christmas traditions, including posole, chile, tamales, farolitos, and last but not least, luminarias (small bonfires). In the spirit of Christmas, Fire Chief Barbara Salas and Fire Marshal Reynaldo Gonzales are granting Burn Permit Amnesty for all luminarias in Santa Fe on Christmas Eve as long as certain guidelines are followed. Normally, all open burning without a burn permit issued from the Santa Fe Fire Department is prohibited under the Santa Fe Fire Code. Burn permits are issued throughout the year, but only in rare cases such as ceremonial fires.

Luminarias will be permitted throughout the city of Santa Fe on Monday, December 24, 2012 from dusk until dawn as long as the following conditions are met:

1. Clear the area from weeds, grass and debris within ten feet of the fire.
2. Attend and supervise the fire at all times.
3. Have available water or a fire extinguisher to quickly douse a fire that is out of control.
4. Burn only wood in the proposed fires.
5. The fire area shall not exceed 3-feet wide by 3-feet long by 3-feet high.
6. Have available a telephone or cell phone to immediately notify the Fire Department in case of emergency.
7. Completely extinguish all fires at the conclusion of the event.