Hey Trenton! Do Backyard Fires 'Burn' You Up?

For as long as people have had backyards, people have had backyard fires.

But what about the neighbors? The fire itself may have no affect on surrounding houses, but what about the smoke?

One Trenton resident told Mayor Kyle Stack and city council members she can't open the windows of her house on any given night without having to smell any number of nearby backyard fires.

The woman said her house isn't equipped with central air and relies on opening her windows at night to help cool her house down, but the smell of neighboring backyard fires is too strong and she's forced to keep them closed.

At a recent Trenton City Council meeting the woman recommended the city draft an ordinance restricting backyard fires to the weekends in an effort to reduce the number of nights each week she has to sleep with the windows closed.

Stack said there are no plans to draft such an ordinance. She told the woman to call the fire department who would likely locate the offensive fire and request the property owner put it out for violating the .

The policy states:

"...smoke of significant quantity or quality to be released so as to inhibit the use and enjoyment of neighboring property is hereby declared a nuisance and is strictly prohibited. If the fire department responds the responding officer has the authority to have the fire extinguished."

Some people are bothered by backyard fires, others aren't. Which are you?