Lee County, FL Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Lee County, FL, 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
- When the ban applies
- Only during a declared local emergency
- Drought trigger
- Mean KBDI 600 or above
- What is banned
- Campfires, bonfires, trash burning, incineration
- Excluded
- State-authorized burns, permitted fireworks displays
- Emergency length
- Seven days, extendable in increments
Summary
Lee County's open-burning article is not a permanent rule. It switches on only when the Board of County Commissioners declares a state of local emergency during extreme drought, and then it prohibits campfires, bonfires, trash burning and similar open incineration.
You may burn yard waste without authorization as long as: You meet the required setbacks and no local, city, or county ordinances prohibit burning, The yard waste was generated on your property and it will fit in an 8-foot diameter pile or non-combustible container, and The fire is ignited after 9 a.m. eastern time ... and is extinguished one hour before sunset.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 12, Article II is suspended at all times when the Board has not declared a state of local emergency by resolution. Once declared, Section 12-20(a) prohibits outdoor burning ignition sources, which include campfires, bonfires, trash burning and other similar open incineration, when the mean Keetch-Byram Drought Index reaches or exceeds 600 for the county and the County Manager, consulting the County Fire Chiefs Association and the Florida Forest Service Caloosahatchee District Manager, recommends suspension of such activities. State-authorized burns and authorized public fireworks displays are excluded. A declared state of local emergency lasts seven days and may be extended in seven-day increments.
Violations & Fines
Section 12-23 makes a violation punishable as provided in F.S. § 125.69(1), and any officer issuing a notice to appear or making an arrest must seize the incendiary device or ignition source as evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to burn leaves and brush in Lee County?
Can I burn household trash outdoors?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lee County
How Lee County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Lee County to another location·View the Florida fire regulations overview
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