Outdoor burning rules in Middlesex County, NJ — 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 of leaves, trash, and yard waste is prohibited across Middlesex County under New Jersey DEP rules (N.J.A.C. 7:27-2). Only recreational fires and permitted bonfires are allowed. Waste-disposal burning is banned statewide, with enforcement by local fire officials and the DEP.
Outdoor burning in Middlesex County is controlled by two layers of state law. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's air-pollution rules (N.J.A.C. 7:27-2.3) prohibit the disposal of rubbish, garbage, trade waste, buildings, or structures by open burning. Separately, the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code (N.J.A.C. 5:70) allows recreational fires without notice and bonfires by permit from the fire official. There is no county-wide open-burning department; each municipality's fire official issues bonfire permits and enforces the rules. Burning household trash or fallen leaves for disposal is illegal everywhere in the county, and no permit can authorize it under the DEP prohibition.
Illegal open burning of refuse violates DEP air rules and can bring civil penalties, plus Uniform Fire Code enforcement by the local fire official. Officials may order any unlawful fire extinguished immediately and issue summonses.
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