Police Receive 10 Calls About Illegal Burning

Menomonee Falls public safety officials have received 10 complaints about illegal burning since a village-wide burn ban went into effect.

Police Chief Anna Ruzinski informed the Village Board of the number at its Monday meeting. After her presentation, Ruzinski told Patch that the complaints came from citizens and involved recreational burning and people who were burning brush and the like.

She said that no citations were issued, although, by ordinance, a $177 fine could result.

“It’s educational,” she said of enforcement, noting that some people might not know that the burn ban is in place due to the exceptionally dry conditions and high temperatures in the Falls. Officials are concerned that embers or sparks could ignite spontaneous fires.

Ruzinski reminded residents that they are still able to use charcoal and gas grills. 

And she reminded them to adhere to the ban out of safety concerns. The same concerns almost derailed the Menomonee Falls fireworks Tuesday night, but those fireworks are going on, in part because officials were able to water down the field where they are shot from.

But residential burning remains a concern, and the burn ban is still in effect. The burn ban went into effect on June 14, prohibiting any open burning in the village. Violations can be reported by calling the police department at 262-532-8700.

People are banned from:

• Brush burning
• Wood burning
• Recreational fires