Fire Regulations in Champaign County, IL (2026)

3 rules for unincorporated Champaign County, Illinois.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Champaign County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Fire Pits & Backyard Fires

Champaign County allows a recreational campfire, cooking fire or fireplace burn within the 1,000-foot buffer around Champaign and Urbana only as part of its regulated woody-landscape-waste burning: the fire must sit back at least 100 feet, or half the property's average width if smaller, from any neighboring dwelling or farm field, run only 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and stay small enough to burn out completely by then.

Champaign County Recreational Fire Pit Rules

Some Restrictions

Champaign County Public Nuisance Ordinance (Ord. No. 468) § 3.3(G)(2)

2. if no LANDSCAPE WASTE COLLECTION ALTERNATIVE is available, OPEN BURINING of WOODY LANDSCAPE WASTE may occur provided the OPEN BURNING complies with subsections 3.3F. 1 and 5 and the following: ... d. The burning shall be separated from an adjacent dwelling on other property and from adjacent farm fields or pastures by an amount equal to one-half the average width of the property doing the bu...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Fireworks

Illinois strictly limits consumer fireworks, and the rule holds across Champaign County. Only sparklers, snakes, and novelty items are legal. Firecrackers, Roman candles, bottle rockets, and any aerial firework are illegal for consumers, and home-rule Champaign and Urbana can restrict even sparklers.

Champaign County Fireworks Laws

Heavy Restrictions

425 ILCS 35/2

it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, co-partnership, or corporation to knowingly possess, offer for sale, expose for sale, sell at retail, or use or explode any display fireworks, flame effects, or consumer fireworks

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Outdoor Burning

Illinois bans burning refuse, and that applies everywhere in Champaign County. Landscape waste like leaves may be burned only on the property where it grew, but home-rule Champaign and Urbana restrict or ban open burning inside city limits.

Champaign County Outdoor & Open Burning Rules

Some Restrictions

415 ILCS 5/9

Cause or allow the open burning of refuse, conduct any salvage operation by open burning, or cause or allow the burning of any refuse in any chamber not specifically designed for the purpose

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

All Champaign County ordinances

See every category we cover for Champaign County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.

Champaign County Ordinance Hub →