Summit County, OH Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Summit County, 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
- Rule
- OAC 3745-19-03
- Never allowed
- Garbage, plastics, tires, petroleum
- Off-site waste
- Cannot haul and burn
- Enforcer
- Ohio EPA / Summit County Public Health
- In cities
- Often banned outright
Summary
Open burning is prohibited in restricted areas of Summit County except for allowed recreational fires and limited yard-waste burning outside cities and villages. Ohio EPA rule OAC 3745-19-03 governs, and burning garbage, plastics, or off-site waste is never allowed anywhere in Ohio.
No person or property owner shall cause or allow open burning in a restricted area except as provided in paragraphs (B) to (D) of this rule or in section 3704.11 of the Revised Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Ohio Administrative Code 3745-19-03 bans open burning in restricted areas unless it falls within a specific exemption. Recreational fires and certain agricultural or land-clearing burns may be allowed with restrictions and, in some cases, prior notification to Ohio EPA or Summit County Public Health. No one may burn garbage, food waste, tires, plastics, rubber, petroleum products, or dead animals. Waste generated off the premises may not be hauled elsewhere and burned. Fires must not obscure visibility of roads, railroads, or airfields. Because Summit County is heavily incorporated, many residents inside a city or village face stricter local bans.
Violations & Fines
Illegal open burning is enforced by Ohio EPA and Summit County Public Health, with orders to extinguish, nuisance abatement, and civil penalties; repeat or hazardous burns can bring larger fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is open burning legal in Summit County?
Do I need to notify anyone before burning?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Summit County
How Summit County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Summit County to another location·View the Ohio fire regulations overview
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