There is no county backyard-fire rule. In Ann Arbor a small recreational backyard fire is permit-free if kept about 3 feet across, roughly 25 feet from structures, attended, and burning only clean wood. Larger fires need a bonfire permit.
A backyard fire in Washtenaw County is governed by your city or township, not the county. Ann Arbor allows an attended recreational fire (about 3 feet in diameter) without a permit provided it stays clear of buildings and combustibles by roughly 25 feet and a hose or extinguisher is on hand. Anything larger than 3-by-3 feet is a bonfire requiring a fire-department permit, capped near 5-by-5 feet and 50 feet from combustibles. Only clean, dry, seasoned wood is allowed — no leaves, yard waste, trash, or accelerants. Neighboring townships each set their own permit rules, so check locally before lighting a backyard fire.
Fires that are unattended, oversized, or emit heavy smoke can be ordered extinguished and cited as municipal civil infractions, with fire-response costs billable to the owner.
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See how Washtenaw County's backyard fires rules stack up against other locations.
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