Bloomington, IN Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Bloomington, 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
- Permit issuer
- Bloomington Fire Chief
- Governing section
- BMC § 18.16.020
- Maximum fine
- Up to $2,500 per BMC § 1.01.130
- Appeal body
- Board of Public Safety, within 30 days
- Public-property burning
- Separate permit required, BMC § 18.16.030
- State overlay
- IDNR and IDEM rules also apply
Summary
In the City of Bloomington, no one may kindle or maintain a bonfire or open burning within city limits without a permit from the fire chief, per Bloomington Municipal Code § 18.16.020. The rule also covers construction and demolition debris burning, and applicants must show they control the land where the fire will occur.
No person shall kindle or maintain any bonfire or open burning, or authorize any such fire to be kindled or maintained within the city limits without permit or proper authorization from the fire chief. During construction or demolition of buildings or structures, no waste materials or rubbish shall be disposed of by burning on the premises or in the immediate vicinity without having obtained a permit or proper authorization. Any applicant for an open burning permit shall demonstrate that he/she is in legal control of the lot or parcel of land on which the burning is to be done.
Full Breakdown
020. The permit requirement reaches beyond backyard bonfires: contractors and property owners burning waste materials or rubbish during construction or demolition must also get sign-off before lighting a fire on or near the job site. An applicant has to prove legal control of the parcel where the burning will happen, so a tenant cannot authorize a fire on land the property owner has not cleared for it. 010 layers on top of the local permit rule: every open fire in the City must also comply with the burning rules of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, so a city permit does not excuse a burn that IDEM's air-quality rules would forbid.
030 bans burning on City-owned land outright unless the fire chief issues a permit for that specific location. 010 lets the applicant appeal to the Board of Public Safety within thirty days of the decision. 020, but any other open flame, from leaf piles to bonfires, needs the fire chief's sign-off first. The Bloomington Fire Department administers the permit and enforces the chapter alongside the Board of Public Safety on appeals.
Violations & Fines
Violating BMC § 18.16.020 without securing a fire chief permit exposes the responsible party to the citywide penalty in BMC § 1.01.130: a fine of up to $2,500, with each day the unauthorized fire continues or recurs counting as a separate violation under BMC § 18.20.020. The fire chief can also refuse or revoke authorization, and burning on City property without a permit is a separate violation of BMC § 18.16.030.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to have a bonfire in my backyard in the City of Bloomington?
Can I burn construction debris on my Bloomington job site?
What happens if the fire chief denies my open burning permit?
What is the penalty for burning without a permit in Bloomington?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bloomington
How Bloomington compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Bloomington to another location·View the Indiana fire regulations overview
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