Outdoor burning rules in Charleston County, SC — also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance — set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Open burning is prohibited statewide under SC Regulation 61-62.2, except that residents may burn leaves, tree branches, or yard trimmings that originate on and are burned on their own home's premises. You must notify the SC Forestry Commission first in unincorporated areas.
SC DES Regulation 61-62.2 states open burning is prohibited except for listed exemptions. Section I.A allows 'Open burning of leaves, tree branches or yard trimmings originating on the premises of private residences and burned on those premises.' State law also requires citizens in unincorporated areas to notify the SC Forestry Commission before burning outdoors (scfc.gov/notify or the county burn line). You must limit fires to vegetative material, clear a firebreak, keep control equipment on hand, and stay with the fire until it is out. Household trash, treated wood, and materials hauled in from off-site may not be burned.
Illegal open burning is a DES air-quality violation; a written warning at one site is deemed adequate notice, and repeat violations trigger legal action and possible fines.
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