Outdoor burning rules in Birmingham, AL — also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance — set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Birmingham is in Jefferson County, where the County Board of Health bans open outdoor burning from April through October every year, except fires used for food preparation. The ban exists because many small fires significantly worsen the area's air quality. From November through March, burning is allowed only with a JCDH authorization that imposes strict location and equipment rules, and state law separately requires an Alabama Forestry Commission permit for larger woodland or grassland burns.
Open outdoor burning in Birmingham is controlled primarily by the Jefferson County Board of Health Air Pollution Control Rules and Regulations, Chapter 5. The rule prohibits outdoor burning, except for the purposes of food preparation, from April through October, because 'many small fires significantly contribute to the area's air pollution emissions' and 'air pollution from open burning can cause serious health problems and damage the environment.' During the allowed window of November through March, authorizations to open burn require adherence to strict rules regarding location and equipment. Residents must call the JCDH Air and Radiation Protection Division at (205) 930-1276 for evaluation of a proposed open burning site or to report a smoke nuisance. In addition, the Code of Alabama section 9-13-11 (enforced by the Alabama Forestry Commission) requires a person to obtain a burning permit number from the Forestry Commission before burning any new ground, field, grasslands, or woodlands within an area placed under organized forest fire protection; the Forestry Commission notes a permit is not necessary only if the proposed fire is less than one-quarter of an acre, and permits are free by calling (800) 392-5679.
Improper open burning could result in substantial monetary penalties under the JCDH Air Pollution Control Rules. Burning grasslands or woodlands without the required Forestry Commission permit number or precautions can be a misdemeanor under Code of Alabama section 9-13-11, with felony exposure for willfully burning land owned or controlled by another.
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