Outdoor burning rules in New Orleans, LA — also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance — set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Open burning of trash, leaves, brush, and construction debris is generally prohibited within Orleans Parish under both city ordinance and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality air-quality regulations. Limited exceptions exist for small recreational fires, outdoor cooking, and ceremonial fires, but residential leaf or yard-waste burning is not allowed in the urbanized parish. Violations can trigger fire department response, citations, and LDEQ enforcement.
Louisiana Administrative Code Title 33 Part III prohibits open burning of household trash, tires, treated wood, and most yard debris in parishes with air quality concerns, and Orleans Parish enforces this through both the Fire Department and Sanitation. Within New Orleans city limits, residents are expected to bag yard waste for curbside pickup rather than burn it. The city does not maintain residential burn permits the way rural Louisiana parishes do. Recreational fires in approved containers (chimineas, fire pits with spark screens, portable barbecue grills) are allowed for cooking and ambiance provided they use clean fuel such as dry firewood or charcoal and do not create a smoke nuisance for neighbors. Fires must be a safe distance from structures (commonly 25 feet from any building or combustible wall) and must be attended at all times with a means of extinguishment available. Burning trash, painted or pressure-treated lumber, plastics, or hazardous materials is always prohibited. The Louisiana State Fire Marshal and LDEQ may issue temporary statewide burn bans during drought or elevated fire-weather conditions, which override any local allowances. Commercial open burning, agricultural burning, and prescribed fires require specific LDEQ authorization and are generally not relevant inside the city. Complaints of illegal burning are typically routed to the New Orleans Fire Department for immediate response and to the city for follow-up enforcement.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact New Orleans code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
New Orleans, LA
City Code Ch. 66, Art. IV defines nighttime quiet hours as 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. on weekends. In residential receiv...
New Orleans, LA
New Orleans has no general city ordinance regulating residential lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays. However, the Vieux Carré Commission and His...
New Orleans, LA
New Orleans has no city ordinance specifically regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. Inflatables are permitted on private property subject to r...
New Orleans, LA
New Orleans has no city ordinance specifying installation dates, removal deadlines, or brightness limits for residential holiday light displays. However, pro...
New Orleans, LA
Built-in outdoor kitchens in New Orleans require building, gas, electrical, and plumbing permits through the Department of Safety and Permits via the One Sto...
New Orleans, LA
New Orleans has no city ordinance specifically regulating residential backyard smokers, pellet grills, or wood-fired ovens. Operation is governed by general ...
See how New Orleans's outdoor burning rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.