Scottsdale, AZ Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Scottsdale, AZ, 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
- Governing section
- § 24-46
- Violation class
- Class one misdemeanor
- Exception
- Incinerators permitted by county and city
- Standards that still apply
- Arizona DHS and U.S. EPA rules
- Court appearance deadline
- 10 days after citation
Summary
Scottsdale bans burning refuse anywhere in the city except in incinerators permitted by the county and the city, and any such burning must still comply with Arizona Department of Health Services and EPA rules. It's the one solid-waste offense the code escalates straight to a class one misdemeanor rather than a civil fine.
No person shall burn refuse, except in incinerators, as may be permitted by the county and the city. Any burning of refuse must comply with the rules and regulations established by the Arizona Department of Health Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
S. Environmental Protection Agency. 'Refuse' is defined broadly at § 24-2 to include garbage, trash, rubbish, ashes, brushable material, construction waste and other solid wastes, so the ban reaches ordinary household trash burning and yard-debris burn piles alike, not just a narrow category of waste. The only carve-out is an incinerator that has been permitted by both Maricopa County and the city, and even a permitted incinerator's operation still has to track state health department and federal EPA standards. Unlike most other article IV offenses in chapter 24, which default to a civil citation and fine, the code singles out § 24-46 for criminal treatment: § 24-52(d) designates violations of section 24-46 as class one misdemeanors outright, on par with the chapter's hazardous-waste offense under § 24-49, rather than starting as a civil matter.
Violations & Fines
A violation of § 24-46 is designated a class one misdemeanor from the first offense under § 24-52(d), rather than the standard civil-fine track used elsewhere in chapter 24. Enforcement can still proceed by citation issued by the city manager, a designee, or any peace officer (§ 24-56), with the defendant required to appear in city court within ten days (§ 24-57); failure to appear allows the court to enter a default judgment against the defendant (§ 24-59).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn trash in my backyard in Scottsdale?
What's the penalty for illegally burning trash in Scottsdale?
Are incinerators legal in Scottsdale?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Scottsdale
How Scottsdale compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Scottsdale to another location·View the Arizona fire regulations overview
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Outdoor Burning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle outdoor burning.