Santa Rosa County, FL Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Santa Rosa County, FL, 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
- Authority
- Florida Forest Service (FS 590)
- Setback from occupied building
- 150 feet
- Setback from paved road
- 50 feet
- Authorization needed
- Piles over 8 feet
- Prohibited
- Garbage, plastics, tires, treated wood
Summary
The Florida Forest Service governs outdoor burning. You may burn yard waste like leaves and limbs without authorization if setbacks are met, but piles over 8 feet across need a Forest Service authorization. Never burn during a county burn ban.
Residential, and Agricultural/Silvicultural pile burning must be set back three hundred (300) feet or more away from any occupied building other than that of the landowner and fifty (50) feet from any wildlands, brush or combustible structure.
Full Breakdown
Burning yard waste (grass clippings, brush, leaves, tree limbs, palm fronds) does not require a burn authorization, provided setbacks and safety rules are met. Yard-waste burn locations must be set back at least 150 feet from any occupied building other than the landowner's, 50 feet from any paved public roadway, and 25 feet from any wildlands, brush, or combustible structure. Piles greater than 8 feet in diameter require a burn authorization from the Florida Forest Service, and suppression equipment must be on hand. It is illegal to burn household garbage, paper, treated lumber, plastics, rubber, tires, or aerosol containers. Santa Rosa County burn bans override all of this.
Violations & Fines
Burning without a required authorization, burning prohibited materials, or burning during a ban can bring Florida Forest Service enforcement, liability for escaped fire, and misdemeanor charges under Chapter 590.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to burn leaves and yard debris?
Can I burn household trash outdoors?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Rosa County
How Santa Rosa County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Santa Rosa County to another location·View the Florida fire regulations overview
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