Sumter County, FL Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Sumter County, FL, 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
- Sumter County Code § 21-1(b)
- Standard adopted
- Fla. Admin. Code Ch. 5I-2.004 by reference
- Exception
- Burning items the state chapter authorizes, if followed
- Penalty
- Second-degree misdemeanor, § 21-1(c)
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 91-9, November 5, 1991
Summary
Sumter County adopts the state's open-burning standards by reference. Sumter County Code § 21-1(b) folds Florida Administrative Code Chapter 5I-2.004 into county law, so burning anything outside what that chapter allows, or skipping its required procedures, is a violation of the county's own solid-waste ordinance.
(b)As to burning, the provisions of Chapter 5I-2.004, Florida Administrative Code, as may be amended, renumbered or recodified from time to time, are incorporated herein by reference, and a violation of said rules and regulations shall be considered a violation of this section. Items set forth therein legally subject to open burning as provided therein shall be exempt from the provisions of this section as long as the procedures required for such burning are followed.
Full Breakdown
004, Florida Administrative Code, as may be amended, renumbered or recodified from time to time, are incorporated herein by reference, and a violation of said rules and regulations is treated as a violation of this section. The county does not print its own list of what may be burned; instead it borrows the state fire marshal's open-burning rule wholesale and enforces it as a county Code violation. 004 already authorizes is not violating Section 21-1 provided they follow that chapter's procedures, such as any required notice, distance or supervision conditions.
Because the ban sits inside the same section as the illegal-dumping and hazardous-waste rules, a Sumter County code enforcement officer or the Sheriff's Office can cite an unauthorized burn under Section 21-1 exactly as they would an illegal dump, tracing back to the same Ordinance No. 91-9 adoption of November 5, 1991 and its 2014 and 2015 amendments.
Violations & Fines
An open burn that does not meet Florida Administrative Code Chapter 5I-2.004's conditions is treated as a violation of Section 21-1, punishable under Section 21-1(c) as a second-degree misdemeanor, the same criminal penalty that applies to illegal dumping under the same section. The Board of County Commissioners can also pursue the civil nuisance remedy in Section 21-1(d) against a burn that damages neighboring property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sumter County have its own open-burning rules?
Can I get in trouble for a legal yard-waste burn in Sumter County?
What is the penalty for an illegal open burn in Sumter County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sumter County
How Sumter County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Sumter County to another location·View the Florida fire regulations overview
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