Jefferson Parish, LA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Sec. 16-2 defines "open burning" as any fire or smoke-producing process outside a boiler, furnace, or incinerator that isn't approved by both the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the local fire department, and specifically as combustion without controlled air or an enclosed device sufficient for complete combustion. Sec. 16-10 then makes it unlawful to kindle or set fire to combustible material on any premises, public or private, for the purpose of disposing of solid waste, unless the person has first obtained all permits required by applicable federal, state, and local law.

Because open burning normally requires DEQ approval and local fire department sign-off before it is authorized, the practical effect is a ban on ordinary residents burning household trash, leaves, or construction debris in a barrel or pile. The section is enforced jointly by the Jefferson Parish Fire Department and the Department of Environmental Affairs, along with Sheriff's Deputies and state or federal officials, giving fire crews independent authority to act on illegal burns they encounter regardless of whether Environmental Affairs has been notified. This sits alongside Chapter 13's adoption of the State Uniform Fire Prevention Code (NFPA 1) as the parish's general fire code, which the Eastbank Consolidated Fire Department applies for broader fire-safety review.