Knoxville, TN Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Knoxville, TN, 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
- § 13-8, Burning of solid waste generally
- Exceptions
- Permitted fire-code and air-quality burns only
- Penalty
- Up to $50 fine, 30 days jail
- Applies to
- All property, public or private, in city
Summary
Knoxville prohibits burning solid waste in open ground fires, barrels, or open receptacles anywhere in the city, unless allowed under the fire prevention code and state air pollution rules.
No person shall start or maintain or cause to be started or maintained any open ground fire or any fire in an open can, barrel or other open receptacle for the purpose of burning or consuming solid waste, upon any property, either public or private, within the city, except as provided in the fire prevention code of the city and as permitted under local and state air pollution control regulations.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Knoxville Code of Ordinances § 13-8 bars anyone from starting or maintaining any open ground fire, or fire in an open can, barrel, or other open receptacle, to burn or consume solid waste on public or private property inside the city. The only exceptions are burns permitted under the city's fire prevention code and under local and state air pollution control regulations: a routine yard-debris or trash fire in a barrel doesn't qualify. Violations fall under the Code's general penalty (§ 1-9): a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $50, up to $500 in administrative costs, and/or up to 30 days in jail, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Misdemeanor: fine up to $50, up to $500 in administrative costs, and/or up to 30 days jail; each day of continued burning is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn yard debris or trash in my backyard in Knoxville?
Does a burn barrel with a lid count as an exception?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Knoxville
How Knoxville compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Knoxville to another location·View the Tennessee fire regulations overview
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