"Considering the unspoken oath we all took when we moved into our Patch neighborhoods, and the fact that we can’t control where the smoke goes, with all due apologies to Mr. Campbell, proximity makes it time to bid adieu to our ancestral practice of sitting around the fire pit—portable or permanent."

Conclusion! Before purchasing your next property, hire an attorney go over all the legislation that has been written for the respective municipality. That should only cost you another $20,000. We are legislating ourselves to hell. Do not forget about the "unintended consequences". Kids are now getting arrested for having lemonade stands in front of their homes. Oh, the humanity.

One other issue, the garbage collection. At $ 50 cents a bag and $2.50 a sticker many people are begining to realize the cost effectiveness of buring sticks vs having them take up room in the bags. Glendale Heights picks up as much stuff as you want every week with no stickers required. GE is "renegotiating: a garbage contract without even so much as considering getting rid of the current sticker program. If I can save $10.00 a week by burning the sticks in a firepit - it's well worth the effort to keep them.

When using your fire pit, be courteous to your neighbors. Use it only during times of very calm wind, say less than 10mph. If the wind is blowing directly at a neighbors house, please consider how the smoke may affect them. Always have a means of extinguishing the fire close at hand. And when done for the night, extinguish the fire completely. Cooking over an open fire is fun and lends a wonderful flavor to most foods. One of my favorites is placing a big thick steak directly on the coals. What a flavor!! But in the end, use good judgement and above all, be courteous to thy neighbor.

Talk about a nanny state. If you don't like the smoke, go inside.

Joe, I AM INSIDE. I can't even open my patio door or bedroom window on cool evenings because of the smoke from my neighbor's backyard portable pit. I hate the damned things.

I love my fire pit and having friends over on a chilly night to enjoy the fire. Good fun.

You know what? Before I give up my fire pit, perhaps we should ban cigarettes entirely. Because second hand smoke kills, my asthma and allergies flair up whenever I'm somewhere near a smoker, it smells awful, and cigarette butts look awful on the ground.

Even when I'm in my car, if someone is smoking in the next vehicle, I can smell that yucky smoke.

So if I have to give up my firepit, which I use maybe 6 times a year if I'm lucky, all you smokers should have to give up your cigs.

Or perhaps we can just learn to live within the set restrictions that exist and happily live together. Your ability to smoke outside for my fire pit.

Why stop there? What about weber grills and their greasy smoke. What about annoying, loud kids on back yard jungle gyms or barking dogs and loud generators? Maybe we all just need to be both more tolerant of others' activities as well as more sensitive to our neighbors' desire for peace and quiet. Try some common sense...

Hi Jeff, I appreciate your thoughts and understand your concerns, as well as those of all of the people who have said that they are bothered by neighbor's firepits. From the beginning I have said that I favored legalizing the "non nuisance" use of firepits.

If I use my firepit in such a way as to cause a problem for another, that person should be able to contact me, explain the problem, and it is then my responsibility to correct it. If that means not using the firepit at all when the wind may carry smoke into their yard so be it. It's my responsibility to be courteous and responsible. If I am not my neighbor can resort to calling the fire department and ask that they intervene. That's what is happening now anyway, but without clear regulation.

What I object to is the idea of a blanket regulation banning all firepits simply because some neighbors are sensitive and some users are irresponsible or uncooperative. As you and the City of Geneva found in your research, most municipalities have no problem with this approach. I would think that the people of Geneva could manage that also.

If firepits are banned for the smoke hazard that they cause then perhaps we should also ban outdoor barbecues and require restaurants to put better scrubbers on their exhausts. I live downtown and can smell cooking food from Mel's Diner and Urban Grill's wood fires most days. But I actually enjoy the smell. I also enjoy the smell of neighbors firepits and suspect that I am not in the minority

If a fire pit is used properly to burn dry, aged wood/brush at a high temperature, very little smoke is generated. Is hiring trucks, that burn gasoline and generate CO, to carry my yearly oak tree brush to a land fill a more environmentally sensible solution. Will you go after my inside fireplace next?

A "recreational fire" is part of American culture. Unfortunately, fires in a neighborhood where houses are close together can be irritating. Do you have a right to a fire? Do I have a right to fresh air? Your rights end where mine begin and my rights end where yours begin. Who determines where your rights end and mine begin? Your elected officials.The reason we have rules and regulations created and enforced by Municipalities is because people demand it. They demand it because of the neighbor who has a fire going almost every night and a Garage sale every weekend. You can be sure the reason a City official is measuring a mail box or writing a ticket for a sign on a parkway is due to a complaint by someone who is threatening to sue the city because the sign obstructed his view and caused an accident. Codes, rules and regulations are necessary because courteous behavior is rare these days and people are ignorant.

Dear Jeff,
Maybe it’s time to ban all rights and freedoms: the right of parents to raise their children according to their own values, the right to bear arms, the right to free assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of religion … Maybe along with lemonade stands, garage sale signs, and fire pits we should simply ban humanity. Be careful of the nanny state you wish for. You just might get it!

It is sad to see the complaining trend going in the direction it is headed. When ONE person complains enough then an ordinance or code is enacted. How about sending out a form to ALL residents and ask them for their opinions? We can send the forms back with our responses and then the debates can commence. This will allow people to have a voice on the laws that will ultimately affect their lives and comforts. It gets a little ridiculous, in my opinion, to produce an ordinance to tell us where we can place a flag pole. Look it up, it's there! When does it stop? For all you know, you could be breaking a law and not even know it. Take some time and read the municipal code in Downers Grove. It is insane!!!!!! I agree with Mr. Vollrath. We all need to be a little bit more tolerant of our neighbors. Unless, you are just trying to be malicious and intentionally hurt/annoy your neighbor then live and let live. Not everyone has to like you and you don't have to like everyone but complaining for every little thing is time consuming and just plain childish. I understand how one can get caught up in making calls and complaining. It is a vicious cycle and it takes effort to not get pulled into it. Again, unless it truly diminishes your ability to use your property then go complain. Otherwise, take a deep breath and enjoy your very short life.

Dear All,

Let's consider this scenario. To my wife's chagrin, I have 33 guitars and, though Keith Richards has nothing to worry about, a pro quality VHT 100 watt amp. I've only played it at 50 watts for a few minutes at a time because you can hear it half a mile away at that volume. If I turned it to 100 watts I bet half of Geneva could hear it.

I would love to play it that loud on a regular basis because let's face it, if you can't play well you may as well play loud. But if I, or one of your neighbors did that, you folks who rail against the nanny state would be the first to call the cops.

How is that different than bombarding your neighbor's house with smoke?

If fire pit folks all acted like Mr. Miller, we'd all be fine. But in this culture, despite the fact that we're generally stacked on top of each other, we want to do what we want to do when we want to do it.

Sorry folks, but that just doesn't cut it. If people were truly respectful of their neighbors, this wouldn't be an issue. But the irony is, the folks who complain they can't use their fire pits will be the first ones to call the police when their neighbors step over that invisible line.

Jeff

That "leaving the primordial forest" argument is weak. It's also a matter of degrees; I still like trees - should that be banned too, because an acorn might fall on my neighbor's noggin? Should we all conform and have the same, standardized vegetation on our properties?
I live in the suburbs, not in Chicago, because i like to enjoy my own outdoor area -whether that be sitting by a small fire, planting stuff in a garden, grilling, or any other such primitive activities.
Downers Grove was right in banning burning of construction-type materials (can't burn a pile of pressure-treated lumber and throw a hot dog on a stick and say you're "cooking"), although not allowing built-in or in-ground firepits is probably an outdated concept - seems like everyone on HGTV or DIY is building a nice one in their backyards. Yeah, there will be the obnoxious types who think every fire had to be a raging, smoking mess of a bonfire - and those are irritating. They're also the small minority and should not be permitted the pleasure of ruining it for the rest of us. Let's find something else to ban!

(And Bill M is right - banning this would be an open door to restricting fireplaces too. )

Is this the biggest problem out there? Things are not as bad as I thought.

As much as I personally regret giving up yet another of our links to the out of doors, whenever there's a debte of this kind I always fall on the side of the natural state of affairs. In this case, that's clean air--and the need for clean air supercedes the recreational aspects for those of us who wish to burn leaves and enjoy fire pits. [For those of you who want to point out that fire too, is part of nature, I'll concede to a provision that authorizes the use of fire pits that are ignited by lightning.]

If a fire pit in someone's back yard is all any of you have to worry about, consider yourselves lucky. I am sick to death of seeing all this whining about things that really are rather inconsequential. Asthma is not on the rise because your neighbor has a fire pit. It is on the rise because of the chemicals that are used in everything from your food to your paper products. As for smokers, guess what, we feel about your alcohol like you feel about our cigarettes. How many deadly accidents have you ever heard of happening because of smoking and driving as opposed to drinking and driving?
How about if we all decide that because courtesy is so rare as one commentor put it, no one in your neighborhood can barbeque except on the fifth Saturday of every month, and you may only mow your lawns on Friday's at six o'clock so as not to disturb the people who work all week and want to sleep in on Saturday and Sunday but get awakened rudely by your lawnmowers going at seven and eight o'clock in the morning on those days. Let's make it a rule that no one can decorate for any holiday their homes or their yards. How about a rule that says that your children may only play outside between the hours of four and five p.m. on Saturday because I don't want to hear them playing and laughing because it disturbs the quiet I am entitled to enjoy.
Pretty ridiculous isn't it? Makes me sound petty doesn't it? Now go look in a mirror. That petty, ridiculous person will be staring right back at you.

Dear All,

Please let me stipulate that barbecues are not a problem.

First, 80 percent of them are of the gas variety, charcoal burns far cleaner than wood, and their smoke output is about 1 percent of a reasonably sized fire pit.

We're talking about an issue that generated 4 months of Patch conversation. Children playing, lawn mowing and other somewhat silly examples would never generate that kind of pro and con debate.

Jeff

We built a special patio just for our occasional fire pit nights, kids love it. If the smoke bothered the neighbors they've never mentioned it, and they are always welcome to grab a bottle of wine and join us, isn't that what's important?

Fire pits aren't a big deal. Raging out of control backyard pyres are a big deal. You're free to just ask the offending to tone it down or call the fire department if it's that intense. You've successfully chucked the baby out with the bathwater in this article.

Cornelius,

I agree, but it's only because I've lost faith in my fellowman's willingness to compromise!

Jeff

Dear All,

And nobody has address my specific issue yet! Do I get to play my 100 watt amp even at half power whenever I want?

Jeff

Hey...if we are going to be curmudgeonly, let's go all the way. Let's not stop with banning fire pits, weber grills, outdoor fireplaces, cigarettes, dogs, etc. - let's go the full route. I say ban little children, especially the ones that parents drag outside and into public when they are sneezing, coughing, sniffling, even puking in public. Talk about a public health problem. Think of the diseases the little darlings help spread!

Am I missing something or was this topic covered to death in the piece by Colin Campbell? I know your whole shtick is to get comments, Jeff - but regurgitating another writer's work to do it seems to indicate your creative well (shallow as it may be) has run dry.

I believe what Jen is trying to convey is where and when do we stop? At what point have we restricted ourselves to our own detriment? When my neighbor plays basketball after I have gone to bed, I just increase my fan and put on my white noise. When my neighbor walks her dog without a lease, even though there is a leash law, I ignore it. When my neighbor shovels his snow out into the street when it is illegal to do so, I just ignore it. There are some things that just aren't worth getting upset about. We try to use our fire pit in a safe and low irritation manner. LOL. I think that we just need to choose our battles wisely. Will it really kill you to close your windows or patio door while I make some smores with my kid???

The "unspoken oath", which seems to be an oxymoron, is the promise you unknowingly make to live by your neighbors' rules or face their disapproval and possibly their wrath. Since this unspoken oath varies by neighborhood, we have regulations which attempt to codify some of the basic rules of civility for those who are too self-centered to observe them on their own. There are times when regulations go too far because lawmakers tend to overreact to the constant complaints from some individuals whose personal rules of behavior are in conflict with their neighbors. But, the biggest problem is that we seem incapable of discussing our problems openly and honestly with our neighbors and coming to some sort of resolution. Our first efforts always seem directed at creating new regulations that make the offending behavior illegal. And instead of building a community we are building our own separate armed camps, ever vigilant against transgressing neighbors.

One of the justifications for govt is to act as an arbiter for the common good. We're all in favor of that it seems until it affects us personally in some way. This issue, as petty as it seems, is an example of how our governments must act in the presence of the increasingly crowded lifestyles that we choose. In an ideal world, we could sit down with neighbors and work things out. Unfortunately, we often expect the other person to be become more reasonable.The fact is, whether it's due to health concerns about smoke (leaf burning, second-hand smoke laws, and now firepits), noise (as Jeff points out) or even light pollution, your precious rights end where mine begin and neither of us has more, or less, than the other.
The balance of the debate may continue for some time, and that's good. If it should remain strong (indicating a substantial number of people being adversely affected), I'll keep to my opinion that the more natural condition of clean air supports the rights of those protecting their health and I would hope that my govt would support that view.

Just another example of people (and government) sticking their noses where they don't belong - in my business, on my (supposedly) PRIVATE property.

And yet, while we're busy banning the source of a minuscule source of air pollution, the real culprit, the coal-fired power plant, shamelessly belches out vast amounts of particulate matter while it pumps mercury into the water and sulfur into the air. Our priorities are so far out of wack, it'd be laughable if it wasn't so dangerous.

Roger, Your "natural" standard would seem to dictate against fireplaces, propane grills, swimming pools, snow blowers, and 100 watt amps at full volume...

Now its fire pits??? What is this world coming to? Next its going to be we have to get permission to plant flowers in the front of our houses. If you do not like the smell of fire pits, stay in your house!!!!!!! Last night while searching the web I came across a new website about downers grove. The web address is www.dggab.com. It looks pretty good. Check it out!!!!

This is my idea:

The Villages should sell recreational fire permits for like $5 each. A maximum of 4 permits may be sold per address per year. This would allow people to have four fire pit fires a year in their backyards. One of the main problems is the fire pit owners make it an every weekend thing, and that can be really annoying to neighbors.

Geoff, I must say that it isn't always easy to talk with your neighbor. I am finding more and more arrogant people who think they have unlimited rights to a certain space wether on the train, in a neighborhood, or any public venue, actually. Sometimes you can try to talk with your neighbor and it could blow up in your face. Other times, you could use the government and it could blow up in your face. It should also be mentioned that regardless of how well you try to be a good neighbor, chemistry plays a role in our interactions with one another. Some people will have a problem just to create a problem. It gives them something to do. I suppose we just need to use our best judgement with regard to these things. I seriously do try to take my neighbors feelings into account. It might not always seem that way but the effort is there. I would definitely agree that government is not the solution for all our aches and pains. Personally, I blame the lawyers!!!!! :)

You can have my firepit when you pry it out of my cold, dead hands! ??
C'mon folks. This isn't a threat to your basic constitutional rights. We try to choose communities where we live that match our own values as much as possible. Then we pay our taxes to receive police and fire protection, receive water and sewage services, garbage pickup etc. And each community has laws about curfews, parking on streets overnight, speeding in your car in school zones, etc. This is just another of those issues.
Jeff has continued a discussion presumably motivated by his own perspective of health issues. If it were to be determined that these health issues were indeed significant shouldn't we all, including those who shout for tolerance, be willing to forego such a small thing? Instead we're so jealous of our own comfort that we immediately go to battle mode.
There have been multiple calls that this is an issue to keep between neighbors. Guess what? In this day and age, the voices of this electronic media are your neighbors and my civic govt is made up of my neighbors. Let's please extend to this process the kind of friendly discussion and open-mindedness that we say we want.

There are a lot of anonymous commenters on this post, which indicates how difficult it is for us to have an open and honest discussion on problems with our neighbors. It's always easier to call the local authorities than to confront your neighbor. The problem is that many complaints are due to inconsiderate or otherwise undesirable behavior that is not illegal. The police cannot resolve these problems. We have to realize that our own perceived set of rights do not trump the rights of our neighbors and then see if we can come to some sort of agreement by discussing the problem with them. First try to understand what really bothers you about the problem, fire pits for instance. If you consider it a health issue and you're mowing your lawn once a week with a gas mower, and/or sitting in drive-thru lanes with the windows open, or doing a lot of sawing and construction work, maybe you're not as concerned with the health issues as you think you are. Maybe it's really how often, when, or how loud these firepit gatherings are. Be honest with yourself first. Then try to do the same with your neighbor. And be willing to listen to the problems they may have with you.

Nanny-staters always use "health" issues to try to control others. A small fire in a fire pit isn't going to be a problem for a neighbor's health. The problem is that the neighbor doesn't like the noise and inconvenience and uses asthma as the tool to complain.

And if fire pits can be banned, so will grills and fireplaces and any number of activities. I can just hear the whiners now, "My neighbor grills every night in the summer and ..." fill in the blank: ...the smoke irritates my lungs, ...it's bad for the environment, ...I have asthma..." "My neighbor has a fire in his fireplace every night in the winter and..." ...the smoke makes my cough, ...the firewood brings termites to the neighborhood, ... it's bad for the environment, ...I have asthma.

It's all about controlling others so that every annoyance of the minority is removed at the cost of eliminating enjoyment for the majority, and it's always sold under the guise of health concerns or for "the good of all." After all the fire pit is just a recreational toy; it's not really necessary.

The regulation of fire pits isn't for the good of all, it's for the persnickety who want their way. And simply because one person has an obnoxious neighbor who owns a fire pit shouldn't mean that fire pits should be outlawed for everyone else. It's a terrible overreaction and overreach.

This argument reminds me of the one in Barrington Hills where some homeowners felt they had a right to a dark, starry night and wanted to ban lights on their neighbors' property; in most cases lights that were needed for security and convenience when walking outside. The "offending lights" weren't huge floodlights. The neighbors just insisted that the night sky wasn't rural enough anymore - this in a Chicago suburb that hasn't seen rural land in decades.

LUCY.....your hostility is uncalled for, in this situation. I apologize if I offended you in some way. I said in one of my posts that when a basketball game is bothering me while I try to sleep, I turn my fan and white noise up louder. I was just pointing out that if it bothered you so much you could keep your door and window closed during the ORDEAL. I doubt you would need to keep all your windows closed but I don't really know. Do you get this nasty when a garbage truck passes by and a whiff comes your way. Do you rush to close the patio door and window and curse garbage trucks? In the future, I will try to serve my child ice cream at a convenient time of night. Sam has a good point. Lucy mentions "frequent and last HOURS into the night". Possibly, Lucy is more upset about something else and has decided to make it a fire pit issue. Lucy, would it help if your neighbors included you in their festivities?

I'm glad to live in a country where the merits and pitfalls of fire pits generate this much debate and angst on both sides. If this is what we argue about... well, we are doing pretty well.

Okay, no need to be ridiculous with the garbage truck comments. I think your overreaction is more a case of you didn't like seeing the truth when I pointed it out to you.

Ok Lucy. Looks like you can dish it out but not take it. I wave my white flag:)

Yeah, government is the answer. Let's make a few more unneeded laws..... Sorry, gotta go clean my guns and drink my beer and burn my brush and plot my next Tea Party movement.... I thought moving out to the suburbs would get me away from the liberal gibberish.... I guess Wisconsin is next.... ALL LIBS.... PLEASE STAY HERE AND DON'T BURN..... ANYTHING.... UNLESS YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THE DNC.... Freedom?.. Where?... I thought I was free to be a slob or live by one or move away from one..... I am sad.... I'm putting up my Christmas lights tonight... After I finish running my snowblower, lawnmower, and all other fossil fuel combustible appliances.... Hope that's still legal.... Can I say Christmas? Can I have my lights up??? Don't tell anybody but.... I have incandescent light bulbs....

We now have more people working in all levels of government than we do in manufacturing and agriculture COMBINED.

The government(s) need to make work for all those employees, so we are burdened by layer upon layer of laws, regulations, ordinances, etc.

And thanks to the Property Tax Cap, community law enforcement has now become a new revenue generator for municipalities. Ask your local government how much they collect each year in 'fines and fees.'

Amen Geoff!!!!! Enough said:)

Woo Hoo. Not getting into this debate. Too many people with strong opinions. I did think the rules (oops) of the Patch were that full, real, names were to be used on comments. See even that rule (law?) doesn't hold water unless it's policed

Some of you folks have talked about this being an example of over-reaction, of throwing the baby out with the bathwater...and then proceed to lambast and blame government for (enter your pet peeve here). There is a LOT to not like about our govt, no question about it. But as bad as things may appear now, the only hope for improvement will come through our governmental process and that only through calm and respectful discussion leading to compromise. We can hardly expect that of our leaders if we can't do that for ourselves in a discussion on firepits.

Regularguy for village council/mayor!!!!!!:)

I will agree that we need some form of government, however government nowadays far outsteps it bounds when they tell me how long my lawn can be, or what kind of tree I can plant. In fact government is so overblown, it has become dysfunctional. Half the laws drawn up recently are more of a justification for their salary/budget then for the safety or well being of the public. In fact we enforce about 1/5 of the laws on the books anyway.... Why? because they are not worth enforcing...
Roger, earlier you said "Fortunately, the process is reversible if it's important enough." Tell me one law that has been reversed in the last 30 years in Geneva, Kane county, Illinois, or the US? It is reversible, but it never happens and I am sure I can find many laws on the books for years that are utter nonsense.
Leash law in St. Charles? Who leashes the strays? Indoor cat law in St. Charles?? so we deprive poor kitties the opportunity to step on fresh grass... How do you think they feel? I'm sorry, I can't take this seriously.....
Guns are clean, at my beer limit, out of gas for the appliances... Time for a bonfire and goin to bed. Geoff is my real name, I am a Navy vet from 1989 to 1993, quit smoking back in 2008 but love the smokers out there... I have no animosity towards anyone on this site just differences in opinion. Pardon my sarcasm but I was raised to take care of things myself and not call someone in to fight my battles. Have a good night everyone.

Wouldn't it be nice if all of the energy and passion in this discussion went into curing cancer or ending hunger or world peace? Don't we have bigger problems to discuss? Or maybe it is exactly because we have so many bigger problems, problems that seem overwhelming and unsolvable, that we distract ourselves with something as minor as burning sticks in the suburbs of Chicago. We haven't been hit by a tsunami or an earthquake or a plague. The police don't come into our homes and hurt us or drag family members away. Once in a while, let's stop and count our blessings.

Honestly, I don't really understand why all the hate about small, infrequent recreational fires. We have a lovely backyard and about 5 times a year we cook s'mores and enjoy a small fire built with dry Geneva Firewood and Mulch wood. Our neighbors on both sides do the same and I'm pretty sure we're all ok with what we're doing in that respect. What bugs me SO much more than our small recreational fires and bbq's is one neighbor that stands outside 10+ times a day to chain smoke. It bothers us while sitting on our patio, sometimes if the wind is right and the windows are open, the smell is on our house as well. However, it is their right to smoke outside on their patio (preferable to smoking indoors with their children at home), so we live with small inconvenience we have when they are outside. Sometimes their dog wanders onto my property and sometimes our dog wanders onto theirs. We exchange pleasantries, apologize and clean up whatever might have accidentally taken place on each other's lawns, but because we're neighbors and we're not perfect, we share a happy and kind existence. If someone came over and said "my kid has asthma and tonight your fire is really irritating to them" I would happily put out my fire. I would hope that if you neighbor was chain smoking or bbq'ing and it irritated a health issue, you would feel alright asking the same of them, but those things aren't against the law, so is it really any better?!?

Jeff you hit on the head. People got engaged over a fire pit. The million dollar question is how do we get these same folks "fired up" over the county wanting to spend over 6.5 million more next year?

The size of govt varies. For an issue like fire pits, govt is a small thing, made up of your neighbors. Your voice at this level is strong enough to have an impact on the results. Yet even at this level most of us have chosen to not become involved in the process. Is 'government' then the problem or is it that we've forgotten how to interact to make the process work?
The majority of comments here seem to reflect a combined sense of entitlement and a growing fear for the loss of control in our lives. Let's face it, we don't care all that much about govt spending or even a war being waged overseas as long as our own lives are comfortable. If we've got jobs, nice cars, eat well and can entertain our friends around our firepits, life is pretty good. Start taking away these things and life gets scary.
In today's world, we have surprisingly little control over things that can drastically effect our lives. Fear turns to anger. Unfortunately, anger isn't a very productive state; it usually provokes anger in response—not a very conducive atmosphere for either winning someone over to your point of view or for being open to considering a potentially more productive one.
So let's not blame the “Government” for our problems when it's all too evident even in this small discussion that “We have met the enemy and he is us!” I try to control what I can: my own efforts, expectations and feelings, to be satisfied with that, and to not make others responsible for my peace of mind.

Geoff....well said. And thank you for your service.

Thank you, Jeff, for writing this insightful and thoughtful article, and for looking into this issue with such an open mind. More information on the health and environmental impacts of wood burning can be found on the websites of organizations like the Lung Association, which advises people to avoid burning wood in order to help keep the air clean and healthy, on the information website of the non-profit group Families for Clean Air, and many other sites, as research into the health effects of wood smoke pollution continues to grow. As the American Lung Association has pointed out, over 25 years of research has concluded that wood smoke is harmful, especially for people most at risk, including children, the elderly, and people with existing heart and lung problems. As you mention, there are alternatives to outdoor wood burning, which are considerate of others in neighborhood environments. Thanks again for your excellent points, so well-expressed.

Wood Smoke Pollution is a burning issue...

Whether it is from a forest fire, agriculture burn, camp fire, fire pit, backyard burning or residential wood burning appliance, old or new, they all have one thing in common, they all emit toxic emissions.

Like cigarette smoke, residential wood smoke contains hundreds of dangerous air pollutants, gases and fine particulates that can cause cancer and other serious health problems such as: blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, lung disease like asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, and bronchitis; irritation of the lungs, throat, sinuses and eyes; headaches; allergenic reactions; increased hospital admissions and even premature death. The particles in wood smoke are too small to be filtered by the nose and upper respiratory system, so they wind up deep in the lungs and act as vectors for bacteria, toxins and virus. Wood smoke is more than a nuisance, wood smoke is chemically active in the body 40 times longer than cigarette smoke.

Wood smoke contains hundreds of dangerous air pollutants and gases such as: 
 
Particulate Matter 2.5
Carbon monoxide,
Sulfur dioxide, 
Nitrogen oxides, 
PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) 
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) 
Dioxins, 
Furans, 
Benzene, 
Lead, 
Cadmium,
Arsenic, 
and many other harmful substances.

Is it not time to take this chronic, severe form of Air Pollution seriously and protect the health
of everyone ?

When people cannot open their windows for fresh air or enjoy their own outdoor area due to a neighbor's fire pit then the line has to be drawn. How did it get to this point? I think most would admit that the issue evolved to this point because of uncaring burners who think that because they are burning on their own property that they have the right to do so. They are so very wrong! They have no right to foul the air of others. They, themselves, have brought things to the point where bans will fall into place. I guess they just never thought of this while they were smoking up the neighborhood with toxics.

Melanie C
The answer is yes. Why should anyone be able to take another person's breath away? We only have one source of air to breathe and if it is polluted by wood smoke
that crosses property lines how fair is that. Many people also suffer from the toxic emissions from their neighbour's wood burning appliance in the winter.

Most people do not report wood smoke pollution instead they suffer in silence thinking that it is only a nuisance not realizing that it is a severe health hazard. Residential Wood Smoke Pollution (RWSP) makes people sick and kills many.

The American Environment Protection Agency estimates that the lifetime cancer risk from wood smoke is 12 times greater than that from an equal volume of second hand cigarette smoke.  (The Health Effects of Wood Smoke, Washington State Department of Ecology);

Studies show that people who heat their homes with wood have more respiratory problems than those who don’t. Smoke particles also invade neighbouring homes. Research shows that children in wood burning neighbourhoods are more likely to have lung and breathing problems.(From Focus on Wood Smoke Pollution - Washington State Department Of Ecology)

Now we are quoting a Washington Lobbyist group as Factual ! Wow ! you probably supported that bridge in Alaska too and are worried about the poor polar bears that would eat you without batting an eye! I say if you are crying on this forum you aren't suffering in silence it more like whinning in public. I haven't seen a law that wasn't broken so write away people will always find ways around them or they will get ignored like most of them do now. Laws are like white noise after a while.

@TDS, "Or perhaps we can just learn to live within the set restrictions that exist and happily live together."

I was simply using it as an example that each one of us has something that may bother and annoy us - doesn't mean we should ban everything. My asthma is bothered by cigarettes - luckily, I don't have to put up with coworkers smoking inside an office anymore since that was banned. I simply don't go near them if they are smoking outside.

I know people who have asthma attacks from other people's perfumes and scented body lotions. While I love dogs, some breeds will send me into an extreme allergic reaction. Other friends can't be near cats, while I can rub my face in their fur without any issues.

My point - let's learn to live together without banning everything that bothers someone and regulate only when it's necessary.

Vicki, ban fireplaces too! Ban cigarettes! You seem like the type who wears a helmut in the car to protect yourself from others.

The best thing to do is to talk with the firepit neighbor. Tell them about your breathing difficultiy (or your family member's) Some people will be sympathetic and stop burning, some will argue about their "rights" but in the end, they usually comply with your wishes (especially if you implicitly subtly imply that the town fire dept will be called, or they can even be sued ) but that's only a last resort.

Ray-you must live next door to me, I had no idea..

Vicki----you present many valid points. However, cars give off toxic fumes and it does not stay just around that specific car. Our lawnmowers do the same unless they are electric. My question, how do we decide what should be banned and what should be allowed? Should I not cut my lawn because my neighbor has asthma? Should I not drive my car because the exhaust can spill out into someone else's air? Burning wood is not the only thing giving off toxic particulate matter. Could you possibly address this and my last post about mercury in vaccines? Frankly, you seem very concerned about wood burning emissions but fail to address injecting young children with mercury. I am interested in your logic with regard to those topics. Personally, I think they can be tied into all of your scary statistics.

In reply to Jeff's question: The Greater Good always prevails over "freedom." For example, do drivers have a "right" to drive drunk?

The problem in this country is that some people have this silly notion that they have unlimited freedom granted by God himself. That is completely illogical. You cannot have such vast freedom, or else civilization itself could not exist. The reason is that almost everyone has some degree of immorality (we are not free from sin, if you happen to take the religious viewpoint)

So there must be rules. Fair rules, yes. But rules just the same. (imagine a football game with no rules - what sort of organized game would that be?)

My neighbors wife smokes cigars! Can someone call the fire department? My dog hates the smell of cigars. It reminds Fido of his days in the house when dad would sit on the throne for hours while the smoke would bellow out the bottom of the door.
Pollution police? Good idea.

Roger----I am not trying to de-value anyones opinions. I am merely trying to be devils advocate. I stated that Vicki has very valid points. I was just curious about her response to my concerns with those issues. She really does seem to have a vast amount of knowledge regarding wood burning. I never really thought about the things she addresses with regard to fire pits. I hardly every use mine but this article and the comments attached to it have given me many things to think about. So I apologize if I came across as trying to squash an important issue to Vicki or even you Roger. However, I was trying to point out that there are many things that are harmful for us but we continue to do on a REGULAR basis. That does not mean we should not try to correct some of them. How would you choose what needs to be corrected and what does not? AGAIN, I appreciate all of what Vicki has said and will truly contemplate my actions before igniting my next fire pit activity. Thanks for pointing out my flaws Roger.:)

Every time I think this discussion has died out, somebody adds another log.

I think it is always good to hear both sides of any story. If anyone would like to learn more about the issues surrounding Residential Wood Smoke Pollution (RWSP) then please check out www.canadiancleanairalliance.ca and burningissues.org

Let's put this thread to bed unless someone has something new and valuable to contribute. Apparently there clearly is not community agreement as to whether use of backyard fire pits/ovens needs more regulation than the many various other activities that can be annoying or harmful to neighbors. Personally, I think those with genuine health problems caused by fire pits need some last resort protection in local law, but the likely larger number of complainers here who just don't happen to like them need to develop some better tolerance for the eternal differances in taste/activities that make us human. I can think of dozens of things that we seem quite willing to accept that are much more dangerous to our health than summer/fall fire pits,

I may be wrong (often am..) but I don't think the intent of this article had anything to do with fire pits. I think the idea was to create a post with an intentionally inflamatory headline and watch the thread (d)evolve into a small versus big government rant. If that's the case then cheers, well done!

Thanks Melanie C. You have truly given me the best birthday gift today!:):)

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak/type.

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for helping to get this issue out there. Where I live all outdoor burning is banned. For me the issue here is to help educate people on this severe health hazard and hope that more people will think twice before lighting their next fire like Melany C. Burning wood is an option...breathing is not!

I've been away for a couple of days. Was there some kind of 'fire pit epidemic' that I missed? Are these things springing up by the tens of thousands in the suburbs?

Good thing this area isn't prone to wildfires or we'd have to legislate THEM out of suburbia, too.

Jeff,

100 watts sounds fun for about 2 hours....then I assume even you can't hear anymore. True?

Tony Cesare, it should not matter if a government is "big" or "small," in the sense that harmful things need to be regulated or banned altogether. When someone suggests outlawing something, the cry is "stop-big-government!" Truth is that, small towns (SMALL government) often have even stricter laws than state/federal (BIG government) does.

You can have your firepit without the smoke....
http://www.notjustknives.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6251

Maybe communities could ease the transition by offering a small reimbursement for 'surrendered' pits or a small subsidy for those buying gas-fueled pits. (For those who MUST have their woodsmoke, you could probably sneak in an occasional stick of wood that wouldn't be enough to trigger your neighbor's ire.)

Perfect ... for five times the cost of a simple fire pit. Here's the deal, I'll not have a fire pit and you get rid of the 100 watt speakers, noisy generator, indoor fire place, backyard pool, cottonwood tree, and two barking, pooping dogs....

Wait a minute! Where are all these fire pits? And can I come over? I'll bring chips and dip. Honestly, I don't know a soul with a fire pit. Not one. Is this really a huge issue? I feel bad for the people affected. I have an allergic response to perfume. I know how awful it can be when you have a hard time breathing. But, if fire pits go, so does perfume. Fair is fair.

What you have on your private property shouldnt be regulated by the government.

For Rudy. I had put this discussion to rest on my end but your response is very misguided. Studies show that people who heat their homes with wood have more respiratory problems than those who don’t. Smoke particles also invade neighbouring homes. Research shows that children in wood burning neighbourhoods are more likely to have lung and breathing problems.(From Focus on Wood Smoke Pollution - Washington State Department Of Ecology)

Please Rudy tell us all how the lungs of a brand new baby coming home from the hospital that is subjected to the toxic emissions from a neighbour's fire pit for many days throughout the summer how have they abused their lungs. Wood smoke crosses property lines and invades the only air that people have to breathe, I ask again how neighbourly and how fair is that. Most days in the summer the air is stagnate and wood smoke therefore stays in the air in neighbourhoods for days.

I really think this is the least of your problems. Take a look at all the products being imported. Water hoses that are not to be used for drinking, as a kid that's how we stayed hydrated during the summer instead of running into the house for a glass of water, now a days you have to read the labels to find a hose that you can take a drink from. California is the only state that I've seen that has warnings/disclaimers stating when a product can't be sold in their state due to the content of materials used which may cause cancer. When I see a product labeled not for use in the State of California I refuse to purchase that product. If it's not good enough for California then it's not good enough for me. I think all the people on this thread are worrying about the wrong thing. The smoke being emitted from these fire pits is a concern for many however you might want to look at the materials the fire pits are made of. In fact, I will be going to check this out today because I'm curious as to what the warning label on fire pits states.

Imagine how harmful to your health a Bus Terminal with 70 diesel engines idling would be next to your home! Could be a sad reality for some folks in Lisle. Public hearing is Aug 3. A neighbor's fire pit is nothin' compared to the noise and pollution of 70 engines coming/going/idling. Deisel Exhaust is the worst.

Jeff, I'll be burning a bundle of asphalt shingles in my fire pit this evening in your honor.

Mo you are so right!. Check out the warning label on Firemaster Old Fashioned FIREPLACE WOOD.

The warning label says Combustion of this product results in the emission of Carbon Monoxide, soot and other byproducts which are known by the state of California to
cause cancer, birth defects or reproductive harm.

Despite the warning it is labelled as Premium Quality, Clean & Dry, Easy Lighting and 100% Natural.

One final comment, from me anyway, is that many of the reports and warnings we have on the various dangerous products are part of our civilization, lack cumulative and quantitative results that would enable us to make rational assessments of the risks involved. Phrases like "is linked to", "is associated with", "is harmful" give us very little real information about the actual level of the threat. When the nuclear accident in Japan occurred after the earthquake and tsunami, I was surprised to learn that radiation exposure for those living within 200 miles of the plants was as great as the amount of radiation one is exposed to on an overseas flight. We seem to be living in an alarmist society in which we are constantly warned about how dangerous things are, but are given no real guidance in determining the relative hazards in proportion to our exposure. Studies may state that any exposure is harmful, but at what levels and durations does exposure affect life expectancy. Part of the problem is that many of these reports deal in statistics ratther than cause and effect and so many other factors may be involved that scientists cannot state with any degree of certainty what the risk is for only the particular hazard they are studying. Skeptics will suggest that this uncertainty keeps the funding coming in for research, but the fact is that these are complicated issues and we don't have all of the answers. I feel like I'm not getting all of the facts I need from these studies.

Roger I understand that the issue of being told what to do is at the heart of why some people don't want bans or strict bylaws on any wood burning appliance but for me when a neighbour pollutes the only air that I have to breathe and education doesn't work well then what other option are you left with.

Just like cigarette smoking and all the bans surrounding it. I hope that some people
will think twice before they light their next fire and for me that will be my contribution to this subject.

Hi Roger,
I am sorry if it came across like that but it was not my intention. What I was trying to do was educate people as I was educated when I saw the warning label on firewood. I truly believe that the more know about wood smoke pollution the less likely people will want to burn. I think the warning label is part of the overall education.

Thanks Mo!

Hi John,
I have talked to my neighbours and most people do. It is usually the first thing we suggest people do. The last time I tried to talk to my neighbours she who is a school teacher told me to f off and die. We used to be friends.

Like the Energizer Bunny, this story just keeps on going…as it should.

Wow…some interesting conversation to say the least. But given the serious nature of this topic, let us all really try and focus on the health implications of wood smoke trespass. Although Jeff’s article deals with the issue of fire pits, we are here to tell you that all wood burning devices are toxic predators. Ours happens to be a behemoth of an outdoor, short stacked masonry fireplace. Much to our dismay, we live in a town where size matters…it wasn’t always this way.

In addition, we are continuously being deluged by the same neighbor’s indoor fireplace, not 15’ away from the outdoor fireplace. Our neighbor actually rotates between the two, sometimes even burning both at the same time. For all of you disbelievers, when the law or code allows, some people will exploit it to the extreme. Get down on your knees and hope that this never happens to you! Sadly, similar stories like this are occurring all over our nation. For us, it seemed like it happened overnight.

To clarify, we live here in DuPage County, IL and our neighbor’s chronic behavior has gotten the best of us. Our lives have been made absolutely miserable and our physical and mental health has suffered in more ways than we can count. We are unable to enjoy our beautiful garden and yard, and on several occasions, we have even been forced to evacuate our home due to the overwhelming amount of toxic wood smoke.

Over the course of two years, we have tried talking to our neighbor. But when one spends tens of thousands of dollars on their pleasures, they are unlikely to acquiesce. We have called the police department on numerous occasions to try and obtain relief. When an officer arrives, they usually spend the first 20 minutes trying to interpret the air pollution code, sometimes we even need to assist and hand them a copy. The police department does not have the experience or expertise for dealing with this type of situation.

Additionally, our air pollution code guidelines contradict the building code for this type of wood burning device, yet our village continues to allow detached masonry fireplaces to be built in overwhelming numbers. We have even been told by our Community Development Department, that fighting this issue would be an uphill battle. We are bringing forth a complaint that our village does not know how to handle…most don’t. As a result, the authorities try to blame the victim, rather than admit that they are ill equipped or incapable of handling residential air quality problems. We are starting to get the distinct feeling that because so many wood burning devices exist in this town, officials simply don’t want to “fan the flames.”

"I was surprised that only Downers Grove had expressly rendered the pits illegal." I checked with the village recently and was informed that are indeed legal in the village. I know quite a few people that have them. When all is said and done, why don't we just make living illegal?

Jeff,

The portable version are legal in DG. It's the permanent ones that aren't.

Jeff

Thank you, Mr. Vollrath for your rather insensitive remark. If only you could live a day in our shoes. It is obvious that you have not spent anytime looking into the adverse health effects of wood smoke, even though several women commenting on this article have provided you with some excellent resources. Look…if a burner could surround them self in a glass box, on their own property, then we as neighbors would not have to be the bearer of unbidden toxic wood smoke and there wouldn’t even be an issue. Unfortunately, this is not the reality.

We will be making the effort to supply Jeff Ward with a few pertinent scientific articles and reports. There are literally thousands that are available. I suggest you start reading. Then, perhaps you could comment more intelligently and contribute to a real solution instead of merely spouting big government banter.

You don't understand my point. Neighbors should respect the health and other needs of each other to a reasonable degree. However, life is dangerous to one's health. I don't think legislating intelligent behavior should be our primary response to every undesirable behavior whether it involves fire pits, fireplaces, pets, children or any of the other normal challenges that arrise in life...

I would further note that just because there are a handful of neighbors lacking the maturity to agree on respectful use of fire pits doesn't mean Council needs to pass rules that advesely affect the other 50,000 citizens who don't have this problem. I don't even have a fire pit, but if I did, I certainly wouldn't need Village statutes to tell me how to use it responsibly.

Be sure to also strictly regulate use of pesticides, herbicides and unshoveled sidewalks in winter...

From Wikipedia, "The most concentrated particulate matter pollution tends to be in densely populated metropolitan areas in developing countries. The primary cause is the burning of fossil fuels by transportation and industrial sources."

I suggest your worry less about the relatively insignificant pollution from the few fire pits in DuPage county, and instead focus on the significant problem caused by trains, cars, mowers, etc. Also, I think you are suggesting misinformation on current DG law. I believe open ground fires are not allowed, but recreational fires contained above ground are. If that isn't the case, please site the relevant statute, otherwise stop saying fire pits are illegal.

I love the arguments of endangering the lives of your neighbors from the smoke. if you are that sensitive to smoke you shoudl not be outside because I can guarantee you that you will be breathing in far more harmful chemicals that what is given off by a couple logs. Perhaps you should move to California.

What a bunch a crap.

Yeah, what gives someone the right to think they can crap into the air whenever they want and make other people breathe it?

Listen, anyone who has a need to play campfire more than once or twice a season should move to the mountains where they can live out their fantasies, they should get the hell out of the suburbs where people like to breathe clean air.

They ought to put a ban on people who want to ban stuff......

Well...looks like it's time to go out in the back yard and burn some more roofing shingles in honor of my hero Jeffrey Ward

Hopefully before burning, people will take the time to consider that the soot from their frivolous activity is leaving their property and entering other people's property, homes, and lungs, whether they want it or not. Anyone who lights a campfire in an urban neighbourhood isn't a "neighbour" at all, just selfish and obnoxious, and deserves to be treated as such by government, not coddled.
Ten years ago this bloody nonsense was virtually unheard of and now it's an epidemic of rampant stupidity. Who is benefitting from this? Follow the money folks! Of course we have retailers involved, from the firewood, the smokepots themselves, and the vendors of accessories for your "outdoor living room". And there's the drug companies who are more than happy to see you and your family sick. And not to be left out, we have the fire departments burying "nuisance smoke" calls in their response statistics while the boys enjoy those lucrative callouts to your neighbour's chiminea. We mustn't leave out our "real estate professionals"; no gushing saccarine property description is complete without the prerequisite glorified smudgepot in the backyard, is it?

And last of all, we have incompetent, lazy politicians who are quite happy to do nothing and let the neighbours fight amongst themselves.