Outdoor burning rules in Providence County, RI — also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance — set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Open burning in Providence County requires a permit from the local fire department and is restricted under RIGL §23-28.2 and RI DEM Air Pollution Control Regulation 4. Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls effectively prohibit open burning in dense urban areas.
Rhode Island regulates open burning under RIGL §23-28.2-19 (Fire Safety Code) and RI DEM Air Pollution Control Regulation No. 4 (250-RICR-120-05-4). A written permit from the local fire chief is mandatory before any open burning. Providence Code Ch. 15 and Pawtucket Code Ch. 162 essentially prohibit open burning in residential zones due to density. Cranston, Warwick, Woonsocket, Smithfield, Johnston, North Providence, Lincoln, Cumberland, and East Providence fire departments may issue brush burn permits for larger suburban and rural parcels only between seasonal windows (typically Jan 15 to May 15). Burning of leaves, garbage, construction debris, tires, and demolition waste is prohibited statewide. Recreational fires under 3 ft in approved containers are regulated separately under RI Fire Code.
Burning without permit: $100 to $500 under RIGL §23-28.2-25. Burning prohibited materials (trash, leaves, tires): additional fines and RI DEM air quality enforcement up to $1,000 per day. Fire spreading beyond permit: civil liability plus criminal charges.
Providence County, RI
Rhode Island does not set statewide barking dog standards. Providence County has no county government. Barking dog complaints are handled by individual munic...
Providence County, RI
RIGL 31-42 governs abandoned motor vehicles statewide. Vehicles left 10 or more days in commercial garages after notice are deemed abandoned. Individual muni...
Providence County, RI
Providence County cities prohibit sidewalk blocking and unpaved front-yard parking. Providence Code §23-21 and Cranston Code require paved driveway surfaces....
Providence County, RI
RIGL 34-10-9 requires partition fences to run on the dividing line with each owner maintaining one-half and costs shared equally unless otherwise agreed. RIG...
Providence County, RI
RI State Building Code (SBC-1) exempts fences under 6 feet from building permits, but Providence County cities require zoning permits for most new fences. Hi...
Providence County, RI
Urban Providence County cities (Providence, Central Falls, Pawtucket) restrict or prohibit backyard chickens. Smithfield, Lincoln, Cumberland, and Johnston a...
See how Providence County's outdoor burning rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.