Vanderburgh County, IN Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

020 as "the burning of any debris, refuse, vegetation or material if the burning is not contained within a furnace or incinerator which is a permanent part of a building or structure," and "County" for this chapter means all unincorporated areas of the county. 030(A) gives the Board of Commissioners authority to proclaim an "open burning emergency" upon determining that safety conditions require it, after giving all state-required notice and posting notice at the Evansville-Vanderburgh Civic Center. 030(B), the declaration can "limit or totally ban open burning in the county" for a defined period with an expiration date, and under (D) the restrictions can be confined to specific parts of the county or to particular hours of the day.

030(C) directs the Commissioners to consider, without being bound by, recommendations and weather data from the Indiana DNR Division of Forestry and federal agencies. 030(E) prohibits anyone from setting, starting, or continuing an open fire "unless he or she has first obtained and has in his or her possession a written permit from the commanding officer of the fire department having primary jurisdiction," subject to revocation by the Board without prior notice (though written notice follows) and appealable to the Board if denied. 030(F) further requires that anyone burning during the emergency have someone over 18 present to monitor the fire and hold the permit.