This April, the Keota City Council has instituted an ordinance that allows seasonal open burning. Residents are now allowed to burn in city limits during the months of April, May, October and November on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays between 8a.m. and 8p.m. The ordinance does come with specific stipulations. No burn barrels are allowed within city limits. For those burning leaf and landscape waste, burning is only allowed on the city right of way in front of the dwelling, no fire is allowed to reach the street pavement and must be at least 25 feet from any structure or building. Garden waste and landscape waste burning is allowed within a garden plot that is at least 25 feet from any structure or building. The following items are prohibited: burning of wet leaves, rubber tires or trash, fires in the street, driveways, alleys or ditches, fires larger than 10 feet wide, fires under power lines, light or power poles and those within 50 feet of combustible materials, fires during times when weather conditions are not favorable, when the Fire Chief directs the fire must be extinguished or when County, State or DNR officials have issued a burn ban. Adult supervision and a working garden hose must be on hand at all times. Recreational fires that abide by regulations set forth by the Iowa DNR are not subject to the ordinance, nor are training fires or controlled burns of buildings approved by City Council.

Those found in violation of the ordinance will be found guilty of a simple misdemeanor and subject to a fine of $100.