Backyard campfires and recreational fires are allowed in Greenville County under the state's open-burning exemption, provided they use clean wood, stay at least 25 feet from structures, and are constantly attended. Burning trash or yard debris in the backyard requires notifying the Forestry Commission first and is banned during burn
SC Regulation 61-62.2 exempts campfires and fires used solely for recreation, ceremony, or warmth, so a contained backyard fire is legal. Fires for warmth must use only clean wood products, not stained, painted, glued, or treated lumber. Greenville County adopts the SC Fire Code, so a recreational fire must be kept at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible material and constantly attended with extinguishing equipment ready. Backyard burning of leaves and branches is separately allowed only after Forestry Commission notification under SC Code 48-35-10. Burning household garbage, plastics, or tires in the backyard is prohibited. All backyard burning stops when the Forestry Commission issues a burn ban.
An unattended, oversized, or trash-fueled backyard fire can draw fire-code citations from the local fire official, DES air-quality penalties, and personal liability for any fire that escapes onto neighboring property.
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