Des Plaines, IL Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Des Plaines, IL, 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
- State rule
- 35 Ill. Adm. Code 237.120(c)
- County trigger
- Prohibited in counties over 400,000 (Cook)
- City Section
- Des Plaines City Code 5-2-5
- Alternative
- City leaf and branch collection
Summary
Open burning of garbage, refuse, and landscape waste is prohibited in Des Plaines. The city sits in Cook County, where Illinois rule 35 Ill. Adm. Code 237.120 removes the landscape-waste burning exemption (counties over 400,000 population, within 40 air miles of Chicago), and City Code 5-2-5 separately bans burning trash, leaves, and combustible matter.
The open burning of landscape waste, but only: ... In those areas of the State which are not in the following prohibited areas: A) Municipalities having a population in excess of 2,500 according to the latest federal census. ... C) All municipalities wholly within 40 air miles (64.5 kilometers) of Meigs Field, Chicago, Illinois.
Full Breakdown
Under 35 Ill. Adm. Code 237.120(c), open burning of landscape waste is only exempt outside the prohibited areas, which include 'Municipalities having a population in excess of 2,500 according to the latest federal census' and 'All municipalities wholly within 40 air miles (64.5 kilometers) of Meigs Field, Chicago, Illinois.' The Illinois EPA confirms that landscape wastes may be open burned on the premises 'except within any county having a population of more than 400,000' - which includes Cook County. Des Plaines (population about 58,000, in Cook County, roughly 17 miles from downtown Chicago) falls inside every one of these prohibited zones, so state law bars residential open burning of leaves and yard waste. City Code 5-2-5 codifies the ban locally by prohibiting the burning of garbage, refuse, and yard waste, allowing only noncommercial cooking and UL-listed fire-pit/fireplace use. Residents should use the city's leaf and branch collection program instead of burning.
Violations & Fines
Open burning of prohibited materials violates City Code 5-2-5 (city fine) and constitutes air pollution under the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, 415 ILCS 5/9, which the Illinois EPA may enforce with civil penalties. Local ordinances may impose independent permitting and are not overridden by state law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves or yard waste in Des Plaines?
Why is open burning stricter here than downstate?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Des Plaines
How Des Plaines compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Des Plaines to another location·View the Illinois fire regulations overview
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Outdoor Burning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle outdoor burning.