Outdoor burning rules in St. Louis, MO — also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance — set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Open burning is generally prohibited within St. Louis City limits under both City Code and Missouri DNR air quality regulations. Burning of leaves, trash, construction debris, and yard waste is banned.
St. Louis City falls within the Missouri DNR St. Louis Ozone Nonattainment Area, which triggers stricter open burning rules under 10 CSR 10-5.070. Open burning of leaves, yard waste, trash, tires, treated wood, and construction debris is prohibited year-round. Burn barrels are not permitted in the City. The only exceptions are recreational fires (under 3 ft, clean firewood) and approved cooking fires (grills, smokers). The St. Louis Fire Department and MO DNR share enforcement authority. Burning during an Air Quality Alert or Red Flag Warning adds state-level penalties on top of City fines. Yard waste must be bagged for curbside collection or taken to the Refuse Division drop-off.
City fine: $100-$500 per violation. MO DNR civil penalty: up to $10,000/day for Clean Air Act violations.
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