Lansing, MI Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Lansing, MI, 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
- Rule
- No burning yard waste, any premises
- Yard waste means
- Leaves, grass, brush under 4 ft
- Alternative allowed
- On-site composting, no nuisance/odor
- Citation
- § 1060.03(g), Codified Ordinances
Summary
Lansing bans burning yard waste, leaves, grass clippings, brush, anywhere in the city under its solid-waste ordinance, in this Ingham County capital city bordering Lansing Township and East Lansing.
(g)The burning of yard waste on any premises in the City is prohibited.(h)It shall be a violation of this chapter for any waste hauler to dispose in a landfill any yard waste collected in the City. It shall be a violation of this chapter for any waste hauler to dispose in a landfill any recyclable materials collected in or from a container designated for the purpose of recycling.(i)It shall be a violation of this chapter to rake or place yard waste into streets or alleys. Editor's note— The following regulations were promulgated by the Public Service Department pursuant to Section 1060.03(b) and were approved by Council by Resolution 474, passed August 9, 1993.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64).
Full Breakdown
Lansing Codified Ordinances § 1060.03(g) flatly prohibits burning yard waste, defined elsewhere in the chapter as leaves, grass clippings, garden debris, shrubbery, brush, or tree trimmings under four feet, on any premises in the city. The same section lets residents compost yard waste and fruit or vegetable matter on their own property, so long as the compost doesn't create a nuisance or emit offensive odor past the property line. The ban applies inside Lansing city limits in Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton counties, not in adjoining Lansing Township, Delta Township, or the separate City of East Lansing.
Violations & Fines
Burning yard waste on any premises violates Chapter 1060; enforcement runs through the City's solid-waste violation process, separate from the container and collection-placement rules in the same chapter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves or brush in my Lansing yard?
Does this cover recreational fires or burn barrels too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lansing
How Lansing compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Lansing to another location·View the Michigan fire regulations overview
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