Anyone wishing to conduct a bonfire or campfire must follow the procedures outlined below. Having a fire on campus requires following the Guilford College policies and procedures, the State of North Carolina Fire Prevention Code, the City of Greensboro Fire Ordinance, and Guilford County Environmental Health policies.

Step 1

The only area on campus where a bonfire/campfire is allowed is at the “burn pit” located next to the lake (off Nathan Hunt Rd.). The “burn pit” must be reserved through Reservations (reservations@guilford.edu or call 336.316.2800) at least 10 days before the event, and any group reserving must have a faculty or staff member present during the event. If the reservation is approved, Reservations will contact Grounds and Landscaping and the Department of Public Safety. Any burning or fires at any other location on campus will be considered an illegal burn with penalties and a $150 fine for those found responsible.

Step 2

Once your reservation is approved, go to the Department of Public Safety and apply for a burn permit. The information required on this form includes the signature of the responsible party who will hold the permit during the entire event, and the date, start and end times of the fire. The burn permit will have strict information you must follow during the fire event.

Step 3

The Department of Public Safety will fax the application to the City of Greensboro Fire Prevention Office. If approved by the fire inspector, the inspector’s office will fax it back to the Department of Public Safety. This process may take up to 2-7 business days, so please file in advance.

Step 4

You will be contacted by the Department of Public Safety once the permit has been approved and you will need to pick up a copy of the permit from the office prior to your event. You must have this permit with you during the fire event. In addition, the Department of Public Safety will notify Grounds and Landscaping of the approved permit.

Step 5

Groups must provide their own starter fire-log that can be purchased from nearby grocery stores. Grounds and Landscaping will provide wood pallets; these will be located at the burn pit 30 minutes prior to the event, or other arrangements may be made. A bucket of water must be easily available at ALL times during the event.

Step 6

Safety to life and property must prevail before, during, and after the fire event. At the end of the fire event, the responsible person holding the permit must assure the complete extinguishing of the fire.

Note

A permit to burn may be canceled for various reasons. This includes but is not limited to:

• Weather conditions (extremely dry conditions and/or windy conditions) - The City of Greensboro Fire Marshal’s Office will issue a ban on burning. However, if the on-set of these events occur very rapidly (with little to no prior notice) the College reserves the right to cancel the fire event.
• Air quality - Guilford County Environmental Health may cancel all burn permits due to expected high ozone levels. Burning is permissible during level green and level yellow days only. Environmental Health issues a 2-3 day air quality level forecast in advance. Conditions may change rapidly. Therefore, the College reserves the right to cancel fire events, if necessary.