Moratorium on burn permits in Gladewater

Just a couple of weeks since lifting a burn ban inside the city limits, Gladewater Fire Chief Mike Simmons has placed a moratorium on burn permits following a spate of illegal fires.
Even when weather conditions allow limited, controlled burns inside Gladewater’s incorporated borders, residents still must acquire an official burn permit for trash, debris and similar fires then stick to a simple set of safety guidelines such as having water on hand and not leaving a burn unattended.
“Right now, we have a lot of illegal burns going on,” Simmons said. “I’ve got two cases I’m working with arrest warrants.
“Due to the amount of illegal burning and nuisance complaint calls, I’ve put a moratorium on issuing burn permits – we’re going to be rewriting the burn policy.”
It doesn’t mean residents have to let their large pile of green debris pile up.
“Keep in mind, with your water bill you can take one load of trash and debris to the dump per month.”
Likewise, there’s a semi-annual citywide clean-up free of charge – residents just filled 13 trash containers on City Hall’s dime Oct. 14. The next sponsored cleanup will be in Spring 2024 (when a special trailer will be on-hand to cart away old tires).
“We would encourage you to pursue other options in the meantime to dispose of your waste and debris.”