Ridgefield, CT Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Ridgefield, CT, 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
- Permitted material
- brush only
- Burn window
- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Permit validity
- 7 days, one burn
- Confirmation call
- 10-11 a.m. same day
- Woodland buffer
- 100 feet
- Repeat fines
- $50, then $90
Summary
Ridgefield only allows open burning of brush, and only under a permit from the Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chief or Fire Marshal. Section 141-2 caps each permit at seven days and a single burn, restricts burning to 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and requires a same-day phone confirmation with the Fire Department between 10 and 11 a.m.
§ 141-2. Permit required; conditions. ... Open burning is authorized only pursuant to a permit issued by an open burning official, issued according and pursuant to the following: A. Burning permits are issued for brush only. ... C. An owner must notify the Town Fire Department on the day of and prior to burning, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. only, to confirm that conditions are suitable for burning to proceed that day. ... D. Permits are valid for seven days from the date of issue, for a single burning only. ... E. Burning must be conducted between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., with burning completed by 5:00 p.m. ... K. Under no circumstances shall the burning of household trash, construction material, demolition material or hazardous materials be allowed.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4717891; v14 updated 2026-01-21; through 01-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
Ridgefield adopted its open-burning permit scheme in 2000 under EPAC 15-Rev guidelines from the state Department of Environmental Protection and Public Act 99-225, designating the Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chief and Fire Marshal as the officials who issue permits, along with an application fee set in Chapter 170, Fees, § 170-2. Section 141-2 issues permits for brush only, and the landowner must personally sign both the application and the permit. to confirm conditions are suitable, which depends on partly sunny to sunny skies and wind speeds of five to 15 miles per hour; a phone confirmation is sufficient.
m. Burning must stay at least 100 feet from woodland or grassland adjacent to woodland, must avoid objectionable odors and excessive smoke, and requires on-site safety measures such as cleared ground, wetted-down surroundings and a functional extinguisher or garden hose. Household trash, construction material, demolition debris and hazardous materials can never be burned under any permit, and any open burning official, the state DEP or the Fire Department can order a burn to stop at any time.
Violations & Fines
Burning without a permit or violating any condition draws a written warning for a first offense; a second offense costs $50 and every offense after that costs $90 under § 141-4, figures pegged to the state's Superior Court Mail-In Violations and Infractions Schedule. The Town won't issue a new burn permit to anyone with unpaid burn fines outstanding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves or yard waste in Ridgefield?
What hours can I burn?
What's the penalty for burning without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgefield
How Ridgefield compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Ridgefield to another location·View the Connecticut fire regulations overview
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