Key Facts Ordinance Text Full Breakdown Violations FAQ Sources More in Bend

Bend, OR Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Significant Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Outdoor burning rules in Bend, OR, 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

Governing section: BC 5.30.005 Open Burning Prohibited
Prohibited burning: Refuse, yard debris, construction waste, field/weed
Penalty class: Class B civil infraction
Maximum fine: $400.00 (BC 1.40.080)
Enforcing agency: Bend Fire & Rescue
Allowed exception: Campfires/cooking fires up to 3 ft, Dept-approved pits

Summary

The City of Bend prohibits starting or maintaining outdoor fires for burning refuse, yard debris, construction waste or field and weed clippings under Bend Code 5.30.005. Bend Fire & Rescue enforces the ban, and violators face a Class B civil infraction capped at $400.00 under BC 1.40.080.

A. Except as authorized by this section, no person shall start or maintain an outdoor fire within the boundaries of the City of Bend for the following purposes: 1. The burning of any refuse, garbage, or other waste products as described in the City of Bend Fire Department Outdoor Burning Regulations; 2. The burning of any yard debris including but not limited to branches, leaves and pine needles; 3. The burning of any construction or demolition waste; 4. Field, ditch or weed burning. ... C. ... A violation of this section is a Class B civil infraction.

View official code

Full Breakdown

005(A) prohibits any person from starting or maintaining an outdoor fire within Bend city limits for burning refuse, garbage or other waste products, yard debris such as branches, leaves and pine needles, construction or demolition waste, or for field, ditch or weed burning. The prohibition applies citywide and is not limited to any zoning district; Bend Fire & Rescue, which polices the fire code for both the city and the surrounding rural fire district, is the agency behind the City of Bend Fire Department Outdoor Burning Regulations referenced in the section.

Subsection (B) carves out a narrow list of open burning that remains legal: fires the Fire Department itself starts or authorizes for training or fuel-reduction work, small campfires and cooking fires no larger than three feet in diameter, Fire-Department-approved cooking pits, and government weed control within developed streets, but all of it stays subject to the current fire code and any permit the department requires. Anyone burning outside those carve-outs, whether it is a homeowner clearing pine needles after a windstorm or a contractor torching demolition debris, is violating the section as written.

There is no separate residential exemption inside subsection (A): the ban on refuse, yard-debris, construction and field burning applies to any parcel in the city, developed or not. 30, code enforcement treats unauthorized outdoor burning as a life-safety issue, and the department can act ahead of any citation to stop a fire during dry, windy conditions in the surrounding high-desert terrain.

Violations & Fines

A violation of BC 5.30.005 is a Class B civil infraction under BC 1.40.080, carrying a maximum civil penalty of $400.00. The Municipal Court Clerk keeps the court's separate penalty schedule setting the amount actually charged on a citation, which can be less than the $400 ordinance maximum. The City can also confiscate or remove burning materials at the violator's expense as part of abatement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I burn yard debris in Bend?

No. Bend Code 5.30.005(A)(2) specifically prohibits burning branches, leaves, pine needles and other yard debris anywhere within city limits. The City directs residents to yard-debris collection or the transfer station instead, and burning it anyway is a Class B civil infraction with a maximum $400.00 fine under BC 1.40.080.

Is it ever legal to have an open fire in Bend?

Yes, in the limited cases BC 5.30.005(B) allows: campfires, cooking fires and outdoor fireplaces no larger than three feet in diameter, Fire-Department-approved cooking pits, and fires the Fire Department itself starts for training or fuel reduction, all subject to the current fire code and any required permit.

What is the fine for illegal burning in Bend?

Unauthorized open burning under BC 5.30.005 is a Class B civil infraction, which BC 1.40.080 caps at a maximum civil penalty of $400.00; the Municipal Court's penalty schedule sets the actual amount charged on a citation.

Who enforces Bend's burn ban?

Bend Fire & Rescue enforces BC 5.30.005 and issues the City of Bend Fire Department Outdoor Burning Regulations referenced in the ordinance, and the department can confiscate or remove burning materials at the violator's expense when public safety requires it.

Sources & Official References

[1]Bend Code (Code Publishing)

Other rules in Bend

Parking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome Restrictions Fire Pits & Backyard FiresSome Restrictions Parking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome Restrictions FireworksHeavy Restrictions Wildfire ZonesSignificant Restrictions Propane StorageSome Restrictions Brush ClearanceSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Preferential Parking DistrictsSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Loading ZonesSome Restrictions

All Bend rules

How Bend compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Bend to another location·View the Oregon fire regulations overview

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.