Bartholomew County, IN Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Bartholomew County, IN, also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance, set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Key Facts
- Governs
- residential developments, unincorporated county
- Residential development
- 2+ adjoining parcels under 3 acres
- Permitted without approval
- refuse in mesh container, yard waste, campfires, cooking fires
- Variance authority
- Director, Division of Environmental Health
- Max fine
- up to $2,500 per offense
Summary
Outdoor burning on any parcel within a residential development in unincorporated Bartholomew County is unlawful unless it fits one of the permitted categories in § 91.38. The rule targets any two or more adjoining residential parcels under three acres, plus apartment complexes and mobile home parks, and unlisted burning is banned outright.
§ 91.37 PROHIBITION AGAINST UNREGULATED OUTDOOR BURNING. ... It shall be unlawful to burn or cause to be burned in the outdoors any material on any real estate in a residential development in the unincorporated areas of the county, unless the burning complies with the provisions of this subchapter. ... § 91.38 RULES. (A) The following types of outdoor burning and fires shall be permitted outdoors: (1) The burning of residential refuse and trash, all of which must be completely combustible, in a noncombustible container with enclosed sides, a bottom and a mesh covering with openings no larger than one-quarter inch square; (2) The burning of organic vegetation, such as leaves and grass; ... (C) Except as permitted under division (A) above or § 91.39, all other types of outdoor burning and fires on any real estate in a residential development in the unincorporated areas of the county are prohibited.
Full Breakdown
36 as any two or more adjoining parcels used or intended for residential use, whether platted or not, none exceeding three acres, and including any apartment complex or mobile home park. 38(A) lists what may be burned outdoors: completely combustible residential refuse and trash in a noncombustible, enclosed container with a mesh cover of quarter-inch openings or smaller, organic vegetation like leaves and grass, campfires, and cooking fires. Every permitted fire must be attended until fully extinguished, and burning cannot occur during unfavorable weather such as temperature inversions, high winds, or air stagnation, nor create an air-pollution problem, a nuisance, or a fire hazard; any fire that does must be put out immediately.
No burning may occur on a public road, street, alley, or right-of-way, and no explosive, highly volatile, or pollution-causing material, including tires and petroleum products, may be burned. 39, is prohibited. 39 lets the Director of the county Health Department's Division of Environmental Health approve otherwise-prohibited burning on written request describing the burn's nature, location, date, and safety precautions.
Violations & Fines
A violation of § 91.37 or § 91.38 carries a penalty under § 91.99; because burning is not among the sections specifically fined in § 91.99(B) (which covers §§ 91.15-91.22), it falls to § 10.99's general penalty of up to $2,500 per offense, with each day of continued violation treated as a separate offense. The County Health Department's Environmental Health Division and County Code Enforcement handle complaints.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves or brush on my property in unincorporated Bartholomew County?
Can I get approval for a burn that isn't otherwise allowed?
Does the burning rule apply outside residential developments?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bartholomew County
How Bartholomew County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Bartholomew County to another location·View the Indiana fire regulations overview
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