THE VILLAGE HAS NOT DETERMINED A START DATE FOR THE 2025/2026 BEACH BONFIRE SEASON.  WHEN IT IS DETERMINED, THIS WEBPAGE WILL BE UPDATED & IT WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND VIA THE VILLAGE’S E-MAILS. 

PLEASE CHECK HERE FOR UPDATES – DO NOT CALL/EMAIL PUBLIC SAFETY ADMIN.

Beach bonfire permits are issued to enhance public enjoyment of the island beaches, while prioritizing public safety, environmental preservation, and equitable access. The issuance of a beach bonfire permit is a privilege granted at the discretion of the Village and the Department of Public Safety, not a right. All permits are subject to the conditions and limitations outlined in the Village Ordinance (HERE), as well as any additional rules or restrictions deemed necessary by the Department of Public Safety. The Village, via the Director of Public Safety, reserves the right to deny, revoke, or limit permits based on environmental conditions, safety concerns, or other factors in the public interest. Recreational burn permits may be issued for fires at beach accesses #5, 24, 35, and 39 (view map HERE), subject to the conditions outlined in the Village Ordinance and the additional requirements and limitations specific to beach bonfire permits.

Please review the following permit conditions and requirements below before applying. 

Permit Conditions

Any permit issued by the Director of Public Safety shall be subject to the following conditions, which shall appear on the face of the permit:

      (1)   Permits shall be valid only for the date issued during those hours specified on the permit by the Director of Public Safety.

      (2)   The applicant shall maintain a reliable means of communication with the Department of Public Safety at all times during the course of the burning.

      (3)   An operable means of control of the fire shall be on site and ready for immediate use at any time that the fire shall exist.

      (4)   The fire shall be extinguished and any and all burning is to cease if constant wind velocity shall reach or exceed ten miles per hour as measured from the Bald Head Island Weather Station.

      (5)   No burning shall be conducted within 50 feet of any structure. In the case of a hardship, the Director of Public Safety will consider a closer distance.

      (6)   The applicant shall, at all times, maintain clear access to enable any firefighting equipment to gain immediate access to the fire.

      (7)   At no time during the permitted burning shall the fire exceed size or intensity which shall render the fire beyond the control of the applicant, and the applicant shall be and remain at the site of the fire constantly during the duration thereof and shall be solely responsible for maintaining complete control thereof during the course of the burn. The applicant shall maintain a signed copy of the permit at the burning site for so long as the fire shall exist and shall exhibit the permit to any member of the Department of Public Safety or employee of the Village who shall request to view the permit.

      (8)   The fire shall be safely extinguished by 11:59 PM on the day on which the permit for the fire is issued.

      (9)   Any other conditions which the Director of Public Safety shall find to be necessary to promote the reasonable safety and welfare of persons and property within the Village.

Requirements

Additional requirements and limits to beach bonfire permits:

 (1)   All fires must be located within two-hundred (200) linear feet of the terminus of the permitted beach access.

   (2)   No fire may be set within fifty (50) linear feet of any dune vegetation.

   (3)   Only untreated, natural wood and other vegetation with a diameter not greater than thirty (30) inches may be burned on the beach. Burning of materials such as plastics, treated wood, or any substance that produces toxic fumes is strictly prohibited.

   (4)   Seasonal permits may be issued to any persons between a date determined and set by the Village manager, with consultation from the director of Bald Head Island Conservancy, after which fires in the vicinity of the permitted beach accesses are not likely to disturb nesting or hatching sea turtles and May 1. The starting date for seasonal permits is subject to change from year-to-year at the discretion of the Village manager.

   (5)   No more than one (1) burn permit shall be issued per beach access in a single day.

   (6)   Permits for events hosted or sponsored by commercial entities, including non-profit organizations, shall only be issued at beach accesses #5 and 39.

   (7)   All permit applications will be submitted, processed and allocated using a process developed by the Director of Public Safety. The public interest in ensuring equitable and broad access to the enjoyment of beach bonfires will guide permit allocation. No person shall be permitted to submit more than one application per day of intended burning.

   (8)   Permits will be issued no earlier than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the requested burn date, pending confirmation of suitable weather and environmental conditions at the time of burn.

   (9)   Permits must be confirmed by and obtained from the Department of Public Safety before any fire on the beach is lit. All persons burning a beach bonfire must have a copy of the permit on site and available for viewing by Department of Public Safety personnel at all times.

   (10)   Any violation of the conditions set forth in this section, including failure to obtain or present a permit, lighting a fire outside designated areas, or violating environmental protections, shall result in immediate revocation of the beach bonfire permit, prohibition from obtaining future permits for a one-year period, and possible fines as set forth in Sec. 12-52 of the Village Code of Ordinances.

A button will appear below when the Department of Public Safety is able to take online applications to access the beach bonfire permit application. Only online applications will be accepted.

<<<A BUTTON WILL BE PLACED HERE WHEN APPLICATIONS CAN BE ACCEPTED>>>

Applications must be submitted at least 24 hours before your requested burn time.

Please note, per the Village Ordinance:

1. The Director of Public Safety will issue permits in an equitable manner.  Submitting multiple applications will not guarantee allocation.
2. No more than one (1) burn permit shall be issued per beach access in a single day.  There is no “sharing” of an access.
3. Littering is prohibited.  Please clean up your site before leaving.

We recommend that you check this website that measures wind speed on Bald Head Island before your permitted bonfire time to make sure that conditions are favorable for burning.   

For more information about open burning on Bald Head Island, view the Village’s Open Burning Ordinance HERE.