Rundown or abandoned structures can present a safety hazard, be an eyesore, and impede economic development in some areas. Property owners or communities seeking an expedient solution to removing these troubled properties often resolve the problem through the use of permitted fire training burns, a practice which can yield valuable, life-saving experience for Nebraska fire departments.

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) has regulatory authority to maintain Nebraska’s air quality through Title 129 – Nebraska Air Quality Standards. The department also recognizes the utility that fire training burns can bring to fire departments, communities, and property owners across Nebraska. To facilitate this practice, Title 129 identifies Nebraska Fire Marshal approved training burns as an exception to the open fire ban.

Fire training burns are the only approved method for intentionally burning structures in the State of Nebraska; no burn, in either a rural or urban setting, can be conducted without involvement from a fire department, and all burns must have a training element.
Approval for fire training burns requires advanced planning. The permit process is a collaboration between NDEE, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the Nebraska State Fire Marshal (NSFM).

A local fire department will need to obtain a Structure Burn Permit from the Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s office; this form includes a notarized affidavit that affirms the legal owner allows the fire department to burn the structure in question.

Before a training burn can be conducted, all proposed training burn structures must be inspected for asbestos by a licensed asbestos inspector. If the structure contains asbestos, an Asbestos Project Notification form must be submitted to DHHS, and the asbestos must be removed in accordance with DHHS Title 178 - Environmental Health.

Following these asbestos guidelines is important in order to be protective of public health and the welfare of the firefighters conducting the training burn.

Regardless of whether or not asbestos is present within the structure, NDEE requires the submission of a Nebraska Fire Training Demolition Notification form, which provides pertinent information about the structure and assures that the asbestos inspection was performed.
NDEE requires this form to be postmarked or emailed at least ten working days prior to any demolition action.

DHHS, NDEE, and NSFM requirements are separate and cannot be combined. Each agency must receive and approve the applicable forms before demolition or burning can begin.

After a burn is successfully completed, disposal of the remnant ash and debris is ultimately the responsibility of the property owner. NDEE requires the ash and debris to be taken to a municipal solid waste landfill; it cannot be buried onsite. NDEE does not require notification of waste disposition for training burns, but it is always a good idea to coordinate first with the permitted landfill to ensure they will allow the waste to be disposed at their facility.