St. Louis County, MN Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in St. Louis County, MN, 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 law
- Ordinance No. 45, Article VI, Section 5.2
- Enforcing agency
- St. Louis County Environmental Services Department
- State cross-reference
- Minnesota Statute §88.171 governs remaining lawful burning
- Penalty class
- Misdemeanor, separate offense each day
- Banned materials
- Tires, treated lumber, shingles, tar paper, sheetrock, paint
Summary
Ordinance No. 45 bars open burning of food waste, rubber, plastics, chemically treated materials, hazardous and industrial waste, demolition debris, motor vehicles, and household or business solid waste county-wide. Any burning that remains lawful must still comply with Minnesota Statutes §88.171, enforced by the Environmental Services Department.
5.2 No Person shall conduct Open Burning of: discarded material resulting from the handling, processing, storage, preparation, serving, or consumption of food; rubber; plastics; chemically treated materials; Hazardous Waste; Industrial Wastes; Demolition Debris; motor vehicles; Solid Waste that is Generated from the resident's household or business; or other materials which produce excessive or noxious smoke including, but not limited to, tires, railroad ties, chemically treated lumber, composite shingles, tar paper, insulation, composition board, sheetrock, wiring, paint, or paint filters. Burning of waste and debris shall be allowed only in compliance with Minnesota Statute § 88.171.
Full Breakdown
2 of Ordinance No. 45 sets out a long list of what can never go into a burn pile in St. ' The rule sits inside the county's broader Solid Waste Ordinance, so it targets household and business debris burning rather than separately regulating campfires or agricultural burns; anyone burning the listed materials, tires, shingles, or treated lumber is violating the Ordinance. Enforcement runs through the Environmental Services Department under Article IX: the Department can issue a Warning Notice or Notice of Violation, and an Authorized Representative or the Sheriff's Office can cite a violator directly.
3 makes noncompliance a misdemeanor, with each day of continued burning charged as a separate offense, and unresolved citations go to the County Attorney's Office for a summons and complaint.
Violations & Fines
Open burning of prohibited materials, food waste, rubber, plastics, chemically treated wood, demolition debris, vehicles, or household solid waste, is a misdemeanor under Article IX, Section 3.3, punishable as provided by law with a separate offense for each day the violation continues. The Environmental Services Department or Sheriff's Office can issue a citation, and unresolved cases go to the County Attorney's Office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn household trash in St. Louis County, Minnesota?
What materials are illegal to burn under the county's ordinance?
Do I still need a state permit for burning that is allowed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
How St. Louis County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare St. Louis County to another location·View the Minnesota fire regulations overview
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