Outdoor burning rules in Fort Myers, FL — 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 burning in Fort Myers is governed by Chapter 40 of the City Code, the Florida Fire Prevention Code (8th Edition, NFPA 1, 2021), and Florida Administrative Code 5I-2 (Florida Forest Service - Open Burning). Recreational fires (3 ft x 2 ft of natural firewood) are allowed without a permit when no burn ban is in effect. Yard-waste and household-trash burning is prohibited under FAC 5I-2.004. Non-residential pile burning requires authorization from the Florida Forest Service Caloosahatchee Forestry Center. Lee County Ordinance 18-09 authorizes the Board of County Commissioners to declare an emergency burn ban prohibiting all outdoor ignition sources (other than cooking grills) when the Keetch-Byram Drought Index reaches 600 or higher; the ban applies inside Fort Myers city limits.
Three layers of regulation apply. First, the Florida Fire Prevention Code (FFPC), 8th Edition, adopted under FS § 633.202 effective December 31, 2023 (incorporating NFPA 1, 2021), permits recreational fires up to 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet high with a 25-foot clearance to structures, and bonfires of larger size only with permit from the AHJ (Fort Myers Fire Department under Chapter 40 of the City Code). Second, FAC Chapter 5I-2 (Florida Forest Service - Open Burning) defines what may and may not be burned outdoors: 5I-2.004 (Open Burning Not Allowed) prohibits burning of household garbage, tires, plastics, treated lumber, rubber, paint, and other hazardous or polluting materials; 5I-2.006 (Open Burning Allowed) permits yard-waste burning only with Florida Forest Service authorization and only when specific setback, KBDI, and weather conditions are met. Residential pile-burning setbacks: 25 feet from forested area, 50 feet from paved public road, 150 feet from any occupied building other than the landowner's. Third, Lee County Ordinance 18-09 (enacted 2018) authorizes the Lee County Board of County Commissioners by resolution to declare an emergency outdoor burn ban whenever the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) reaches or exceeds 600 or other extreme drought conditions exist. When declared, the ban applies countywide - including all incorporated municipalities such as the City of Fort Myers - and prohibits open burning, recreational fires, campfires, bonfires, and outdoor ignition sources. Cooking food on a residential grill, prescribed burns conducted by Florida Forest Service certified burners, and welding/cutting in approved work areas are exempt. Lee County has declared burn bans multiple times in recent years, including January 2026, April 2025, and 2023 (10th and 11th extensions documented in published resolutions). The Fort Myers Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau (239-321-7350) administers FFPC enforcement within city limits.
Open burning of prohibited materials violates FAC 5I-2.004 and may be enforced by both the Florida Forest Service and the Fort Myers Fire Department. Burning during a Lee County emergency burn ban violates Lee County Ordinance 18-09 and is enforced by Lee County Sheriff's Office and Fort Myers Fire Department/Police. FFPC violations are subject to FS § 633.228 penalties and city code enforcement. Contact Fort Myers Fire Prevention Bureau at 239-321-7350.
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