Berwyn, IL Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Berwyn, IL, 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
- Berwyn Code § 1610.03, Open burning prohibited; exceptions
- Bonfire permit
- Fire Prevention Bureau, issued before the event
- Who can hold a bonfire
- Religious, educational or other not-for-profit organizations
- Supervision
- One or more adults plus Bureau-approved safety equipment
- Fine
- Up to $2,000 per violation, each day separate (§ 202.99)
Summary
Section 1610.03 makes it unlawful to burn paper, cardboard, leaves, twigs, branches, wood, grass or any other combustible material anywhere in the City of Berwyn, Illinois, unless a listed exception applies. The exceptions cover indoor fireplaces, cooking, permitted bonfires, permitted land-management burns and recreational campfires.
It shall be unlawful to burn or cause the burning at any location within the city of any paper, cardboard, leaves, twigs, branches, wood, grass, grass clippings or other refuse from farming or gardening, or other combustible materials of any nature whatsoever, except as follows: (A) Burning any combustible materials wholly within a building in a fireplace or other equipment or facility designed and constructed for such purpose; provided, that any refuse-burning incinerator installed in any residence building shall comply with the rules and regulations of the state air pollution control board as the same may from time to time be in effect; ... (D) Burning approved wood, as defined in division (G) of this section, in an outdoor bonfire as a gathering conducted by religious, educational or other not-for-profit organization; provided, that a permit therefore is previously issued by the Fire Prevention Bureau and that such bonfire is supervised by one or more adults and adequate safety equipment as approved by the Fire Prevention Bureau is available;
Full Breakdown
Chapter 1610 of the Berwyn Code of Ordinances adopts the NFPA 1 Uniform Fire Code, 2003 Edition, and § 1610.03 adds a local rule that stands on its own: burning is unlawful anywhere in the city unless an exception fits. The prohibition names paper, cardboard, leaves, twigs, branches, wood, grass, grass clippings and refuse from farming or gardening, then sweeps in any other combustible materials of any nature whatsoever. Section 1610.02 says that where the NFPA 1 code conflicts with a local ordinance, the local provision prevails, so this section controls over the national code.
Six exceptions follow. Division (A) allows burning wholly inside a building in a fireplace or equipment built for the purpose, and a refuse-burning incinerator in a residence must meet the rules of the state air pollution control board. Division (B) covers cooking fires and division (F) covers recreational campfires; each has its own page on this site. Division (C) allows a high temperature incinerator that provides complete combustion and meets the same state board rules.
Division (D) allows an outdoor bonfire, defined as a safely conducted and controlled outdoor fire used for ceremonial purposes, but only as a gathering run by a religious, educational or other not-for-profit organization. The Fire Prevention Bureau must issue a permit beforehand, one or more adults must supervise, and safety equipment approved by the Bureau must be on hand. Division (E) covers silvicultural, range or wildlife management burns and prevention or control of disease or pests. The Bureau must find that the burn is no danger to the health, safety and welfare of residents or surrounding communities and no danger of air pollution, must issue a permit, and requires attendance by adequate personnel and approved safety equipment. Approved wood means seasoned dry firewood, which rules out green vegetation, leaves, grass, bushes, roots, plywood and pressure-treated lumber.
Violations & Fines
Section 1610.99 has no penalty of its own and points to the general penalty in § 202.99: a fine of not more than $2,000 for each violation, with every day the violation continues counted as a separate offense. A bonfire or land-management burn without the Fire Prevention Bureau permit does not fit division (D) or (E), which leaves it under the opening prohibition on burning anywhere in the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves or yard waste in Berwyn?
Do I need a permit for a bonfire in Berwyn?
Is a backyard fire pit covered by the burning ban?
What is the penalty for illegal burning in Berwyn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Berwyn
How Berwyn compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Berwyn to another location·View the Illinois fire regulations overview
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Outdoor Burning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle outdoor burning.