Medina, OH Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Medina, 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
- Base rule
- Open burning banned in Medina's restricted area
- No-notice exceptions
- Small bonfires under 3 ft by 2 ft, clean fuel only
- Notice-only tier
- Agricultural waste, larger ceremonial bonfires with EPA notice
- Permit tier
- Fire Code Official permit for bonfires, pest control burns
- Max penalty
- Third-degree misdemeanor, up to $500 and 60 days
Summary
Medina sits entirely within a state-defined restricted area, where open burning is banned outright except for a short list of exceptions, some requiring Ohio EPA notice or permission and others allowed without it. Chapter 1505 layers a Fire Code permit requirement from the Fire Code Official on top of the state ban.
(i) "Restricted area" means the area within the boundary of any municipal corporation established in accordance with the provisions of Title 7 of the Ohio Revised Code, plus a zone extending 1,000 feet beyond the boundaries of any such municipal corporation having a population of 1,000 to 10,000 persons and a zone extending one mile beyond any such municipal corporation having a population of 10,000 persons or more according to the latest federal census. ... (a) No person or property owner shall cause or allow open burning in a restricted area except as provided in subsections (b) to (d) hereof; in Ohio R.C. 3704.11 and in compliance with Section 1505.05 of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025-01: Local legislation current through June 24, 2025 | State legislation current through December 31, 2024).
Full Breakdown
C. 05. 01(i) definition adopted from Ohio Administrative Code 3745-19-01, because it is a municipal corporation, and the code layers on a one-mile buffer around any municipality of 10,000 or more residents, which covers Medina at roughly 26,700 people. Some burning is allowed without any EPA contact, like heating tar, welding, and small bonfires and outdoor fireplaces under three feet in diameter and two feet in height that burn only clean seasoned firewood or equivalent fuel. Other categories, such as agricultural waste disposal or larger ceremonial bonfires up to five feet by five feet burning no more than three hours, require advance written or oral notification to the Ohio EPA.
A third tier, including disposal of ignitable or explosive materials and fire-training burns, requires the Ohio EPA's written permission first. 05(c) requires anyone conducting a bonfire, or burning for pest control or silvicultural purposes, to first obtain a permit from the Fire Code Official, with the application submitted only by the landowner.
Violations & Fines
Open burning conducted in a restricted area without qualifying for an exception, or without the required Ohio EPA notice, permission, or Fire Code Official permit, violates Section 1505.03 and is enforced under Section 1505.99 as a third-degree misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to sixty days in jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medina a restricted area for open burning purposes?
Can I burn brush in my Medina backyard without contacting anyone?
Do I need a permit to have a bonfire in Medina?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Medina
How Medina compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Medina to another location·View the Ohio fire regulations overview
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