East Baton Rouge Parish, LA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Under Section 5:31 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge, no one may start, kindle or maintain a fire to burn stumps, logs, trees or other materials to clear land within the parish outside the corporate limits of Baton Rouge, Baker, Central, Zachary or St. George, and within 1,000 feet of any approved, recognized or established subdivision, without a valid permit or other proper authorization. The rule targets land-clearing fires in the unincorporated parish; general open burning within the city limits is governed separately under Section 5:35's air-pollution rules. Section 5:31(b) exempts the parish department of public works from the permit requirement when it burns vegetation cleared during drainage-channel maintenance, except within the St. George Fire Protection District, where a permit is still required for that same work.

Section 5:32 hands permitting authority to the fire protection district covering the burn site. That district issues the permit and can refuse or revoke one before the fire starts if atmospheric conditions or local circumstances would make the fire hazardous or a nuisance. No district may issue a permit if the applicant intends to use old tires to kindle or maintain the fire, and using tires anyway is grounds to revoke the permit and extinguish the fire on the spot. Section 5:33 requires the fire prevention bureau to give the permittee written notice once a permit is revoked, so the burn must stop as soon as that notice is sent.

Section 5:34 makes any violation of this permit part a misdemeanor prosecuted in district court, carrying a fine and possible jail time on conviction.