Outdoor burning rules in Bethlehem, PA — also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance — set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Bethlehem restricts open burning through Article 1501 (the locally adopted 2018 IFC) and statewide air-quality rules at 25 Pa. Code Section 129.14. Open burning is allowed only at least 50 feet from any structure, with a 25-foot exception only where specifically approved by the Fire Marshal. Burning of leaves, yard waste, household garbage, treated wood, plastic and tires is prohibited. Recreational wood fires are prohibited entirely under Section 1501.05(r).
Three layers of law govern outdoor burning in Bethlehem. (1) Local fire code: Article 1501 of the Codified Ordinances adopts the 2018 IFC, and Section 1501.05 makes Bethlehem's open-burning amendments stricter than the IFC default. Section 1501.05(p) removes 'recreational fires' from the open-burning exemption, Section 1501.05(q) requires a minimum 50-foot setback from any structure (the IFC's 15-foot small-container and 25-foot small-pile exceptions are deleted, leaving only a 25-foot 'where approved' exception), and Section 1501.05(r) prohibits recreational fires altogether. Permits for any legal open burn must come from the Fire Code Official (the Bethlehem Fire Marshal) under IFC Section 105.6. (2) Local statute: Article 1501.05(v) deletes torches-for-paint-removal from the permit list but retains permit requirements for open flame in Group A or E occupancies and for torches in wildfire-risk areas. (3) State air-quality: 25 Pa. Code Section 129.14 (Open Burning Operations) prohibits burning of any material that produces air contaminants, which sweeps in leaves, yard waste, demolition debris, household trash, treated wood, plastics, tires and any commercial waste. PADEP enforces this concurrently with the City Fire Marshal. (4) Allowed without permit: only cooking on a residential barbecue grill, and a Fire Marshal-approved portable outdoor fireplace at 25 feet from structures (because recreational fires themselves are banned). Burning of leaves, brush piles, demolition debris, painted or treated lumber, tires, plastics, household garbage and any commercial waste is illegal whether or not it is small or carefully attended. Pennsylvania DCNR's Spring Fire Season (typically March 1 through May 25) and Fall Fire Season (mid-October through November) advisories impose additional restrictions during high-risk periods.
Section 1501.05(l) replaces the IFC penalty schedule with Optional Third Class City Charter Law penalties: typically $100 to $1,000 per offense for the first two violations, escalating to $5,000 per offense for the third and subsequent violations; where the conduct threatens public health, safety or property, $500 to $1,000 for the first two and $1,000 to $10,000 for the third plus up to 90 days in jail. PADEP can separately assess civil penalties up to $25,000 per day per violation under the Air Pollution Control Act (35 P.S. Section 4009). Reckless burning that damages property is also chargeable as Arson under 18 Pa. C.S.A. Section 3301.
Bethlehem, PA
Bethlehem Zoning § 1322(yy)(4) expressly refers pool fencing to the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, which adopts the 2018 International Swimming Pool...
Bethlehem, PA
Bethlehem Zoning Code Article 1318 does not impose a separate list of prohibited fence materials, leaving fence-material regulation to general property-maint...
Bethlehem, PA
Bethlehem's zoning code does not require neighbor consent for a boundary fence under Article 1318, but Pennsylvania common-law partition-fence principles and...
Bethlehem, PA
Bethlehem requires a zoning permit from the Bureau of Code Enforcement for any fence installation as part of general zoning compliance under Article 1318 (he...
Bethlehem, PA
Bethlehem caps household animals at six without a permit: Section 1159.04 of Article 1159 (Animals) requires application for a permit for any household keepi...
Bethlehem, PA
Bethlehem's local wildlife-feeding enforcement runs through Article 1159 nuisance provisions (Section 1159.06) of the Codified Ordinances and property-mainte...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Lehigh County.
See how other cities in Lehigh County handle outdoor burning.
See how Bethlehem's outdoor burning rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.