Outdoor burning rules in Elkhart County, IN — 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 in Elkhart County follows Indiana IDEM rule 326 IAC 4-1. Burning household trash, plastic, and construction debris is always illegal; clean yard waste may be burned in a vented container with conditions, and it must be out before sunset.
The Elkhart County Health Department enforces Indiana's open-burning rule, 326 IAC 4-1-3, alongside IDEM. Burning household trash, garbage, plastic, rubber, painted or treated wood, and construction or demolition debris is banned everywhere in the county. Residential open burning of clean vegetative waste is allowed only for buildings with four or fewer dwelling units, must use a noncombustible container with enclosed sides and a bottom, must stay attended, and must be extinguished before sunset. Burning is prohibited during high winds, temperature inversions, or a declared air-quality action day. Recreational and ceremonial fires are treated separately and may run after sunset. Incorporated cities such as Elkhart, Goshen, and Nappanee may restrict yard-waste burning further within their limits.
Illegal open burning violates IDEM rules and county health regulations, drawing correction orders and fines that can reach several hundred dollars per day; burning banned materials such as trash or tires carries the stiffest penalties.
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