Open burning of trash or debris is unlawful within Durham city limits. No burning permits are issued to city residents. Fire pits allowed; yard waste uses curbside pickup.
The City of Durham strictly prohibits all open burning of trash, debris, or yard waste within city limits under the Durham City Code public safety provisions. No burning permits are issued to City of Durham residents for waste disposal. This ban applies to leaves, branches, lumber, and all other combustible refuse. Yard waste must be disposed of through the city curbside collection program operated by the Solid Waste Management Department at 919-560-4186. The only exceptions are contained recreational fires in fire pits or outdoor fireplaces that comply with NCFC 2018 Section 307, and cooking fires in outdoor grills and smokers. The Durham Fire Marshal can institute temporary burn bans prohibiting recreational fires within 100 feet of occupied dwellings during drought or high-risk conditions. NC Department of Environmental Quality also regulates open burning statewide, restricting any permitted burning to 8 AM-6 PM when the air quality forecast is Code Green or Code Yellow.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Durham, NC
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Durham, NC
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Durham, NC
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Durham, NC
Durham UDO Section 9.9 sets general fence standards including setbacks, orientation, and vision-clearance rules. Fences between structures and streets within...
Durham, NC
Durham requires a building permit for all retaining walls. Retaining walls over 4 feet at street frontage must be terraced in Design Districts. Walls over 8 ...
Durham, NC
Durham UDO 9.9 prohibits razor wire, concertina wire, and barbed wire in residential districts. Uncoated chain link is banned in CI and Design Districts.
See how Durham's backyard fires rules stack up against other locations.
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