Coon Rapids, MN Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Coon Rapids, MN, 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 required
- Yes, before any open burn
- State law adopted
- Minn. Stat. ch. 88 by reference
- Never permitted
- Leaves, grass clippings, treated wood, tires
- Permit issuers
- City or Minnesota DNR forestry official
- Ban authority
- Designated fire official declares burning bans
Summary
In the City of Coon Rapids, open burning of any kind is prohibited unless the person first obtains an open burning permit, with permits limited to narrow circumstances like ground thawing, running fires or diseased-tree disposal under Section 12-415.
(6)Open Burning Prohibited Except by Permit. No person shall start or allow any open burning on any property in the City without first having obtained an open burning permit. A permit is not required for any fire which is a recreational fire or campfire as defined in Section (4).(7)Permitted Open Burning.(a)Under special or extraordinary circumstances, open burning permits may be issued by the City or by a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) forestry official for:(i)Elimination of health hazard that cannot be abated by other practical means, as determined by the Commissioner of Health or the local health authority.(ii)Ground thawing for utility repair and construction.(iii)Running fires. ... (v)Disposal of diseased trees generated on-site, diseased or infected nursery stock, or diseased bee hives.
Full Breakdown
Section 12-415(6) states plainly that no person may start or allow open burning on any property in the City without first obtaining an open burning permit, and the only carve-out is for a fire that meets the recreational fire or campfire definition. Section 12-415(7) limits when a permit can even be issued: the City or a Minnesota DNR forestry official may approve one only for eliminating a health hazard that cannot be abated another way, ground thawing for utility repair, running fires, disposal of vegetative matter for forest, prairie or wildlife habitat management, disposal of diseased trees, diseased nursery stock or diseased bee hives, or disposal of unpainted, untreated, non-glued construction lumber where recycling is not practical; fire-training permits and permanent tree-and-brush burning site permits can only come from the DNR.
Section 12-415(5) separately bans burning oils, petroleum fuels, rubber, plastic, treated or painted materials, tar paper, insulation, sheet rock, wiring, hazardous waste, demolition debris from commercial or institutional structures, food waste, and leaves or grass clippings outright, no permit available. Section 12-415(1) adopts Minnesota Statutes Chapter 88 by reference for open burning generally, and Section 12-415(2) confirms the City has layered additional, more restrictive rules on top of the state statute rather than simply repeating it. An applicant must demonstrate under Section 12-415(9) the ability to comply with state statute and this Chapter, and the fire official may require a preliminary site inspection and a burn event safety plan.
Section 12-415(13)(a) lets the designated fire official declare a citywide burning ban when conditions turn hazardous, at which point no open burn or even a recreational fire is permitted.
Violations & Fines
Section 12-415(10) allows the City to deny a permit application outright if criteria are not met, or even when met if a practical disposal alternative exists or a nuisance would result. Section 12-415(12) authorizes revocation by a DNR officer or the designated fire official for a developing fire hazard, a violation of permit conditions, a nuisance developing during the burn, or a fire smoldering unattended. Violating any provision of the Chapter, including maintaining a nuisance after written notice, is a misdemeanor under Section 12-415(15).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves or grass clippings in Coon Rapids?
Who issues an open burning permit in Coon Rapids?
Does a recreational campfire need an open burning permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coon Rapids
How Coon Rapids compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Coon Rapids to another location·View the Minnesota fire regulations overview
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