Fire Regulations in South Bend, IN (2026)
5 verified fire regulations for South Bend, Indiana, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pit Rules
South Bend allows recreational fires kept under three feet wide and two feet high. Fires must stay 25 feet from any structure or combustible material unless in a portable outdoor fireplace.
South Bend Fire Pit & Recreational Fire Rules
Some RestrictionsSouth Bend, IN, Code of Ordinances ch. 9, art. 4 (Leaf Burning and Air Pollution Control)
must not be conducted within 25 feet of a structure or combustible material, unless conducted in a portable outdoor fireplace
Fireworks
Consumer fireworks are legal in South Bend but limited to set dates and hours: 5-11 PM June 29-July 9, 10 AM-midnight July 4, and 10 AM Dec 31 to 1 AM Jan 1. Never on streets or in parks.
South Bend Fireworks Rules
Few RestrictionsSouth Bend, IN, Code of Ordinances Sec. 13-59 (Ord. 10628-18)
No person may use, ignite or discharge consumer fireworks within the corporate limits of the City of South Bend except during the following times: Between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on June 29, 30, July 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight on July 4, and between the hours of 10:00 a.m. on December 31 and 1:00 a.m. on January 1.
Brush Clearance
South Bend has no wildfire defensible-space mandate. Instead, code enforcement requires owners to clear overgrowth, dead vegetation, and debris that creates a fire or nuisance hazard.
South Bend Brush & Vegetation Clearance
Some RestrictionsOutdoor Burning
South Bend bans burning leaves, grass, rubbish, and trash. Permitted open burns must stay 50 feet from structures (15 feet in an approved container), and the fire department must be notified first.
South Bend Outdoor & Open Burning Rules
Some RestrictionsSouth Bend, IN, Code of Ordinances ch. 9, art. 4 (Leaf Burning and Air Pollution Control)
Open burns must not be less than 50 feet from any structure, and provisions shall be made to prevent the fire from spreading to within 50 feet of any structure. If the fire is in an approved container, then not less than 15 feet from a structure.
Wildfire Zones
South Bend has no designated wildfire hazard zones and no defensible-space or fire-resistant-construction mandates. Indiana does not map wildland-urban interface zones for the city.
South Bend Wildfire Zones
Few RestrictionsLooking for St. Joseph County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement South Bend city rules.
Fire Regulations in St. Joseph County →