Outdoor burning rules in Farmington Hills, MI — also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance — set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Outdoor open burning is broadly prohibited inside Farmington Hills under Chapter 12, Sec. 12-14 of the Code of Ordinances. The only outdoor fires allowed are small recreational fires at single-family homes contained in an approved semi-enclosed device (manufactured outdoor fire pit, chiminea, ceramic outdoor fireplace) burning only seasoned firewood, constantly attended, with extinguishing equipment immediately available, located a safe distance from structures, and with cooled coals stored in a metal container kept outside the home. All other outdoor burning - including yard-waste burning, brush burning, trash burning, construction debris burning, ground fires, bonfires, and burning in unapproved devices - requires explicit written permit/approval from the Farmington Hills Fire Department Fire Prevention Division (248-871-2820). Recreational fires at multi-family dwellings are prohibited. The Michigan DNR burn permits issued under Part 515 of NREPA (Act 451 of 1994, codifying Act 119 of 1925) are not valid inside Farmington Hills city limits - the city is a Home Rule jurisdiction that has opted to regulate burning more strictly than the state baseline. Michigan operates under the 2015 Michigan Building Code (MCL 125.1502 / Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act), which adopts the 2015 IFC with state amendments.
Farmington Hills Code of Ordinances Chapter 12 (Fire Prevention and Protection), Sec. 12-14 is the city's primary outdoor-burning provision. The Farmington Hills Fire Department's official guidance summarizes Sec. 12-14: 'The City of Farmington Hills Fire Prevention Ordinance allows for small recreational fires at single-family homes only. These must be in an approved semi-enclosed device using only seasoned firewood.' Specific operational requirements: fires must be constantly attended by a competent person of legal age; extinguishing equipment (garden hose, bucket of water, or portable fire extinguisher) must be immediately available; a safe distance must be maintained from any structure, deck, fence, or combustible material; the fire must be completely extinguished after use; and cooled coals must be stored in a metal container outside the home. All other open burning is prohibited in Farmington Hills: 'No yard waste, refuse, or construction materials may be burned.' The prohibition applies regardless of device: 'some people think they've found a loophole and burn yard waste in portable fireplaces, burn pits or ceramic chimineas, but regardless of the device, nothing is permitted.' Recreational fires at multi-family dwellings (apartments, condominiums, townhouses) are not authorized; the Sec. 12-14 allowance is limited to single-family residential properties. Any open burning beyond the Sec. 12-14 recreational-fire allowance requires Fire Prevention Division approval - call 248-871-2820 to discuss permit-required fires and multi-family dwelling guidelines. The Michigan DNR Forest Resources Division administers a statewide burn-permit program under Part 515 of NREPA (codifying Act 119 of 1925), but these permits are valid only on DNR jurisdiction areas (state forest land and certain rural/forested counties); they have no force inside Farmington Hills city limits, where the city's Home Rule charter and Sec. 12-14 control. Michigan operates under the 2015 Michigan Building Code (2015 IBC base + state amendments) and the 2015 Michigan Residential Code (2015 IRC base + state amendments), adopted under the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act (MCL 125.1502). MI has not yet moved to the 2018 or 2021 ICC cycles for the Building Code; only Chapter 11 (energy efficiency) of the Michigan Residential Code was updated to the 2018 IRC effective 10/4/2021. The Stille-DeRossett-Hale Act preempts local building-code amendments that conflict with the state code, but local fire-prevention ordinances controlling outdoor burning are an exercise of the police power that is generally compatible with the state framework.
The Farmington Hills Fire Department Fire Prevention Division (248-871-2820) enforces Sec. 12-14 prohibitions on unauthorized open burning. The city's stated enforcement policy: 'If the Fire Department responds to your home for an open burn, you may be ticketed or you may receive a cost recovery invoice from the Fire Department for a fire truck and firefighters responding to your violation.' Common violations include burning yard waste/leaves/brush regardless of device, burning trash or construction debris, recreational fires at multi-family residences, unattended recreational fires, fires within an unsafe distance of structures, and reliance on a Michigan DNR burn permit inside city limits (DNR permits are not valid in Farmington Hills). Cost-recovery billing for emergency response is a tool used by Farmington Hills to discourage repeated unauthorized burns.
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