Auburn, AL Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

Auburn is not a designated wildfire-hazard jurisdiction with mapped defensible-space zones, so vegetation/brush clearance is governed mainly through the burn-permit process and statewide forestry law rather than a fixed clearance-distance ordinance. To dispose of cleared brush and limbs by burning, the Auburn Fire Department requires a free burn permit obtained after a site inspection that determines the approved location and distances. Those permitted burns must be at least 500 feet from the nearest occupied dwelling (other than the one on the property), may only run 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., must burn only natural vegetation and untreated wood, must be attended continuously and fully extinguished daily, and may not occur during overcast, rain, drought, or extremely dry conditions. Statewide, Alabama Forestry Commission burn law (Ala. Code 9-13-11) requires that anyone setting a fire within or near forest or woodland first clear all inflammable material a reasonably safe distance in all directions, maintain that cleared area throughout the burn, and stay with and control the fire with adequate tools and manpower. The State Forester may declare a Fire Alert restricting burning during dry periods. Residents who simply want to remove brush without burning can use Auburn's curbside/yard-waste collection instead, avoiding the permit entirely.