Boynton Beach, FL Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Under Section 9-11 of the Boynton Beach Code of Ordinances, an 'open fire' is any outdoor fire or open combustion of material other than barbecuing, and the general rule bars any such fire, anywhere in the City, on public or private property. The only way around the ban is a written permit issued in advance by the Fire Rescue Department, and the code limits eligible occasions to fire training exercises conducted by the department itself, or recreational and ceremonial events, such as bonfires, that the department has agreed to permit in writing.

There is no self-certification option and no exception for routine yard-debris burning; leaf piles, brush, and trash fires all fall inside the prohibition because the code defines 'open fire' broadly as any open combustion of material. Cooking equipment is carved out separately: charcoal and propane fires contained inside a manufactured hibachi, grill, smoker, or gas grill used to prepare food are expressly excluded from the definition of open burning and do not need a permit under this section. Violations of Chapter 9 are enforced by the Fire Marshal and Fire Rescue Services Department under Section 9-4, which ties fire code penalties to the Florida Fire Prevention Code (NFPA 1, Section 1-16) as well as the City's own Code of Ordinances, and specifically allows the enforced removal of a prohibited fire in addition to any fine.

Because the permit requirement sits with the Fire Rescue Department rather than a zoning or building office, residents planning a bonfire, a ceremonial fire pit event, or an organized burn should contact that department directly before the event to secure written authorization; an unpermitted fire already burning is itself the violation, regardless of intent.