Lake County, IL Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Lake County, 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
- Coverage
- Unincorporated Lake County only
- Woody waste burn window
- Nov 1 to Mar 31 only
- Allowed hours
- Sunrise to sunset only
- Wind limit
- Under 10 mph
- Max fine
- $1,000 per day, per §10.99
Summary
Lake County treats open burning of landscape waste in unincorporated areas as a public nuisance, allowing only narrow seasonal exceptions for woody debris and recreational fires.
(I) Open burning of landscape waste. It is a public nuisance to conduct open burning of landscape waste in the unincorporated area, subject to the following exceptions... (2) This division (I) shall not apply to the open burning of woody landscape waste when all of the following restrictions are met: (a) The burning occurs between November 1 to March 31; (b) The burning occurs between sunrise and sunset; (c) The burning occurs when wind speeds do no exceed ten miles per hour (MPH).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 26-0618, passed 6-9-2026 | State legislation current through ILCS Pamphlet 2025 #5).
Full Breakdown
Lake County Code § 94.05(I) makes open burning of landscape waste in the unincorporated area a public nuisance. Recreational fires, campfires, self-contained outdoor burn devices, and ceremonial fires are exempt if no garbage or non-woody waste is burned, as are prescribed ecological burns and county-approved disaster-debris burns. Woody landscape waste may be burned only November 1 through March 31, between sunrise and sunset, in winds under 10 mph, on the property where it was generated, supervised with an extinguisher or hose on hand, and not during a National Weather Service critical fire-weather advisory or an EPA air-quality advisory for sensitive groups. Violations are enforced as public nuisances.
Violations & Fines
Violating the burn ban is a public nuisance; Lake County can pursue abatement action and fines up to $1,000 per violation per day under § 10.99.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn yard waste in unincorporated Lake County?
Are campfires and ceremonial fires allowed?
Does this rule apply inside Waukegan or Highland Park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake County
How Lake County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Lake County to another location·View the Illinois fire regulations overview
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