Kenton County, KY Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Kenton County, KY, 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
- Governing section
- § 92.01
- Trigger
- state Division of Forestry fire-hazard notice
- Fine (§ 92.99)
- up to $500
- Waste burning ban
- § 50.065, permit only
Summary
Kenton County bans all open fires countywide the moment the County Judge/Executive proclaims an extraordinary fire hazard on notice from the state Division of Forestry. Separately, open burning of solid or hazardous waste is prohibited outright unless a county waste director permits it.
Whenever the Division of Forestry of the Commonwealth of Kentucky notifies the county that an extraordinary fire hazard exists in the county as determined by the National Fire Danger Rating System and Fire Occurrence, the County Judge/Executive shall proclaim such condition to exist in the county. No person shall, when a proclamation as provided for in division (A) of this section has been issued, light or maintain an open fire at any location in the county while such proclamation is in effect.
Full Breakdown
Kenton County Code of Ordinances Section 92.01 ties an outright open burning ban to a state fire-danger trigger. When the Division of Forestry of the Commonwealth of Kentucky notifies the county that an extraordinary fire hazard exists, as determined under the National Fire Danger Rating System and Fire Occurrence data, the County Judge/Executive proclaims the condition, and once that proclamation issues, no person may light or maintain an open fire anywhere in the county for as long as it stays in effect. The county must publish notice of the proclamation in the newspaper of largest bona fide circulation. This authority traces to KRS 149.401. Separately, Section 50.065 bans open burning of solid waste, hazardous waste, and bulky waste at any time, except as the Director of the Solid Waste Management Program permits in compliance with Kentucky Administrative Regulation 401 KAR 63:005, so waste burning is restricted even outside a declared fire-hazard proclamation.
Violations & Fines
Burning during an active Section 92.01 proclamation is a misdemeanor under Section 92.99, punishable by a fine of up to $500. Burning solid, hazardous, or bulky waste without Director authorization under Section 50.065 separately carries the Section 50.999 penalty of $100 to $500 per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Kenton County ban open burning entirely?
Can I burn trash or yard debris in unincorporated Kenton County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kenton County
How Kenton County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Kenton County to another location·View the Kentucky fire regulations overview
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