Washington County, MD Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Washington County, MD, 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
- Governing law
- Solid Waste Collection Licensing Ordinance § 2.3.10
- Permitting agency
- Washington County Health Department
- Ban applies to
- Open burning used for solid waste disposal
- County facilities
- Fires and open burning barred outright (§7.4)
- First violation fine
- Up to $1,000 civil fine
- Criminal exposure
- Up to 6 months, Washington County Detention Center
Summary
Washington County bans burning trash as a way to get rid of it unless a permit is issued first. The Solid Waste Collection Licensing Ordinance defines open burning as combustion that lacks controlled combustion air, an enclosed burn chamber, and emissions control, then prohibits using it to manage solid waste unless the Washington County Health Department authorizes it.
Open burning means the combustion of any material without any of the following characteristics: 1. Control of combustion air to maintain adequate temperature for efficient combustion; 2. Containment of the combustion reaction in an enclosed device to provide sufficient residence time and mixing for complete combustion; 3. Control of emission of the gaseous combustion products. ... No person shall use open burning as a means of solid waste management in Washington County unless permitted by the appropriate state or local regulatory authority. The Washington County Health Department is the permitting agency for any proposed burning.
Full Breakdown
10 of the Solid Waste Collection Licensing Ordinance prohibits open burning as a method of solid waste management anywhere in Washington County unless a person first obtains permission from the appropriate state or local regulatory authority. The Ordinance names the Washington County Health Department as the agency that issues permits for any proposed burning. 0 defines open burning narrowly: combustion that lacks control of the combustion air needed for efficient burning, that is not contained in an enclosed device providing enough residence time and mixing for complete combustion, and that does not control the emission of gaseous combustion products.
A resident who sets fire to trash, yard debris, or other solid waste in an open pit or barrel, without those controlled conditions and without a Health Department permit, is burning illegally. 4 backs this up for county-owned sites directly, barring fires or open burning at any County Facility altogether. 3. Enforcement is carried out by the officials the County Commissioners designate, and a person served with a notice of violation can appeal to the Director of Public Works within 30 days of the notice.
Violations & Fines
Illegal open burning of solid waste draws a civil fine of up to $1,000 for a first violation and up to $5,000 for each later one under Section 9.1, plus misdemeanor exposure of up to $1,000 and up to six months in the Washington County Detention Center under Section 9.3. The Washington County Health Department must issue a permit before any burning is legal; burning at a County Facility is separately barred outright under Section 7.4.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn my trash in a barrel in Washington County?
Who issues open burning permits in Washington County?
What counts as illegal open burning under county code?
What is the penalty for illegal burning of waste?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
How Washington County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Washington County to another location·View the Maryland fire regulations overview
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