South Bend, IN Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Article 4 opens with the Common Council's finding that 'reasonable regulations should be enacted to minimize air pollution caused by burning within our City' (Section 9-19), then Section 9-20 flatly prohibits starting, kindling, causing, allowing, or maintaining any leaf burning or rubbish or trash burning on private or public property except as the Code specifically authorizes, and separately bars burning leaves, grass, tree limbs, branches, paper, rubbish, or trash on any street, alley, or sidewalk. 99 per customer per month. A 15-member leaf burning task force, eight members appointed by the Common Council and seven by the Mayor, was charged with reviewing the 1989 season and reporting equipment, personnel, and program recommendations by June 1, 1990.

Enforcement runs through Section 9-24: Code Enforcement, Fire Department, or Police Department personnel issue a citation carrying a $100 fine for each violation, and every subsequent fire started after a citation counts as a separate offense. Citations must show the date, time, violator's name and address, code section violated, violation location, and issuing officer, with disposition instructions. If a leaf burning fire causes damage found to result from negligence or willful disregard of the article, the City can additionally assess a fine equal to its fire-suppression response cost, capped at $2,500, and Section 1-24's indigency provisions apply to any defendant who cannot pay.