Charleston, SC Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Section 13-10 defines open burning broadly: any intentional burning where combustion byproducts vent straight into the outdoor air rather than through a stack or chimney counts, which sweeps in trash burns, brush piles, barrel burns and bonfires. Subsection (b) makes it unlawful to kindle, maintain or authorize any open burning unless the fire fits one of the seven narrow exceptions in subsection (c): contained cooking fires, recreational fires and cooking pits (both with setback and attendance conditions), authorized backfiring to contain an active wildfire, propane, acetylene, natural gas, gasoline or kerosene heating and construction equipment used as designed, firefighter training burns, and hurricane or natural-disaster debris removal conducted by the responsible fire-fighting organization.

Anything outside those seven categories, including yard-waste burning, trash burning or an unpermitted bonfire, is prohibited open burning regardless of size. Subsection (d) gives the fire department, police department and fire code officials authority to order any noncompliant fire extinguished immediately, whether the violation is the type of fire itself or a failure to meet the conditions attached to an otherwise-allowed fire, and also lets officials act if the fire is a public nuisance under Chapter 21. The section traces to Code of 1975 Section 24-82 and was last amended by Ordinance No. 2010-113.