Lima, OH Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Lima, OH, 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
- Restricted area
- Entire city + buffer
- Trash/garbage
- Prohibited
- Yard waste
- Only w/ EPA approval, 1000 ft
- Governing rule
- OAC 3745-19; Lima 1052.05
- Recreational fires
- Allowed (see fire-pit rules)
Summary
Lima sits inside a 'restricted area,' so open burning is tightly limited. Burning residential trash or garbage is prohibited. Burning yard waste (limbs, brush, leaves, clippings) is prohibited unless the Ohio EPA approves it in advance and the site is more than 1,000 feet from the nearest neighbor's house.
The burning of residential waste (trash) and/or garbage is prohibited. The burning of yard waste: tree limbs, branches, brush, leaves, clippings, etc. is prohibited unless approved in advance by the Ohio EPA. The site must be more than 1000 feet from nearest neighbor's house.
Full Breakdown
Because Lima is a municipal corporation, the whole city plus a surrounding buffer is a 'restricted area' under Ohio EPA rule OAC 3745-19. The City of Lima Open Burning Guidelines prohibit burning residential waste (trash) and garbage outright. Landscape/yard waste - tree limbs, branches, brush, leaves, clippings - may only be burned with prior Ohio EPA approval, and the burn site must be more than 1,000 feet from the nearest neighbor's house, effectively barring it on typical city lots. Recreational fires and small cooking fires are the practical exceptions. Lima Codified Ordinance 1052.05 also bars burning building refuse except in an approved incinerator.
Violations & Fines
Prohibited open burning is enforced by Lima Fire and the Ohio EPA; the fire code official may order any hazardous or objectionable fire extinguished. EPA penalties can apply to illegal waste burning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves in my Lima yard?
Can I burn household trash outside?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lima
How Lima compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Lima to another location·View the Ohio fire regulations overview
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