Notification of Using Fire and Prescribed Burning
A notification of prescribed burning must be submitted to the rescue authority before the prescribed burning begins. Prescribed burning involves burning arable land, felling areas or forest land. Any large-scale incineration of stumps, rubbish and leaves is also considered prescribed burning. The prescribed burning of forest land can only take place under the supervision of a professional.
A notification of using fires that produce significant amounts of smoke must also be submitted to the rescue authority. No notification is required for campfires or small bonfires. Lighting any fires during forest fire warnings and hazardous wind conditions is always prohibited.
Requirements
- Landowner's permission: Permission from the landowner is always required when using open fire and prescribed burning.
- Liability: The person lighting the fire has full responsibility for the situation.
- Foreign operators: If a business operator is established in another state belonging to the European Economic Area and provides services temporarily in Finland, the same permits are required as for operators established in Finland.
Procedure
- Notification content: The notification must state who is using the fire, what is being burned, where the fire is lit and when the fire will be used.
- Submission: Complete the notification of using fire and send it to the rescue services before starting the prescribed burning.
- Professional supervision: The prescribed burning of forest land can only take place under the supervision of a professional.
Restrictions
- Forest fire warning: Lighting any open fires during forest fire warnings is prohibited.
- Hazardous wind conditions: Lighting open fires during hazardous wind conditions is prohibited.
- Exemptions: No notification is required for campfires or small bonfires.