Frequently Asked Questions

We’re closing in on Northern Pyre’s first year of existence - we officially became incorporated Jan 2022 - and to celebrate, we’ve collected some of the most common questions our nonprofit has received.

Have a question that isn’t answered here? Contact us.

• What is open-air cremation?

  Traditional cremation uses a fully-enclosed industrial retort with primary and secondary burners. The flames are fueled by natural gas or petroleum gas, and as the body burns, particles run through a filtering process to ensure minimal smoke exits the chimney. These retorts are kept out of sight from the public, and multiple cremations may happen every day.

  Open-air cremation uses the same concept - a flame-based method of body disposition - and brings it outside under the sky. Wood is used as fuel, and the body can either be placed on a platform or (in our case) nested in an open container. Because there is no filtering process, extra care is taken to ensure that anything hazardous (like mercury fillings) is removed prior to cremation.

• Is open-air cremation legal in the US?

  Yes - and no.

  As of today, Crestone is the only location in the US that is able to offer open-air cremation. There is no legislation that allows for this practice, but Crestone has been granted a conditional use permit that’s contingent on meeting specific health and safety requirements.

  The folks at Crestone have been incredibly supportive and kind to us at Northern Pyre, and we hope to obtain a conditional use permit for Minnesota as well. For more information on this, please see our blog post on the current crematory legislation.

• Will attendees see or smell the cremation?

  No and no.

  The body will be placed in a four-sided open-topped chamber made of concrete or similar materials, between two layers of wood. No matter the cremation stage, the body will be hidden.

  We will always use local wood for the pyre. Species like spruce and pine burn at higher temperatures, while cedar and juniper give an aroma similar to incense. All four will be incorporated into the cremation.

• Where is Northern Pyre?

  Right now, Northern Pyre is based in St. Paul, Minnesota. This may change as we explore land acquisition options, but we don’t plan to stray too far from home.

• I live in another state, can I still be cremated in Minnesota?

  Yes, though it will take some planning and likely add transportation costs. Please see our blog post on transporting human remains for more information.

• How do you plan to operate a pyre?

  The same way we would operate a traditional crematorium: With safety and respect top of mind.

  There’s no question that open-air cremation is going to present a unique set of challenges. However, much of our operating process will overlap with that of a crematorium. The same paperwork and certifications will apply, and we will be fully transparent about safety and legal requirements.

  Once we have the full operations manual approved, we plan to post it on our website so every potential participant knows exactly what to expect.

• Where do the donations go?

  Currently, all donations go to raise funds for land acquisition and construction. No one on our board draws a salary from this nonprofit.

  After construction is completed, donations will go to support our perpetual care fund. This includes site and equipment maintenance, landscape upkeep, and property costs.

• When will you start scheduling services?

  There are three things we need to get up and running:

  1. The land

  2. The equipment

  3. The permit

  All of these are knotted together. We won’t purchase the land without the permit, we can’t build on the site without the land, we can’t obtain the permit without several levels of permissions from both local and state government. And we can’t do any of these things without funding.

  But here’s what we have:

  1. A roadmap

  2. A network of volunteers

  3. Support from architects, safety managers, morticians, and fellow nonprofits

  Based on these resources, we’re hoping to be up and running in the next couple of years. Right now, it’s all dependent on master planning and fundraising.

• Will you have restrictions on who can participate?

  We currently have no plans to restrict who can be cremated; however, this may change depending on demand. Our nonprofit model is extremely niche and we don’t have much data on the size of our potential audience.

  The only way we would choose to restrict participation is if we feel that the quality of our service has become compromised.

• How much will you charge?

  We’re still figuring out a costing model based on monthly expenses, materials required, site maintenance, and administrative fees.

  What we can say is: Northern Pyre’s goal is to make this affordable for everyone who wants it. Our best case scenario would be to not charge anyone, but this is untenable without a steady flow of income.