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Washington, DC Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Outdoor burning rules in Washington, DC, 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
D.C. Code § 22-1313
Banned time
sunset to sunrise
Covered locations
streets, alleys, open ground, lots
Maximum fine
$10 per offense

Summary

The District bans kindling any bonfire or combustible pile in streets, alleys, open ground, or lots between sunset and sunrise, with no permit path around the nighttime ban.

It shall not be lawful for any person or persons within the limits of the District of Columbia to kindle or set on fire, or be present, aiding, consenting, or causing it to be done, in any street, avenue, road, or highway, alley, open ground, or lot, any box, barrel, straw, shavings, or other combustible, between the setting and rising of the sun; and, any person offending against the provisions of this section shall on conviction thereof, forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding $10 for each and every offense.

Source: 20 DCMR § 604 – Open BurningView official code

Full Breakdown

Under D.C. Code § 22-1313, no one may kindle or set on fire, or knowingly help, consent to, or cause the kindling of, a box, barrel, straw, shavings, or other combustible material in any street, avenue, road, highway, alley, open ground, or lot anywhere in the District, so long as it happens between sunset and sunrise. The law dates to the 19th-century fire code and has never been repealed, so it still governs nighttime open burning citywide today.

Violations & Fines

Violators forfeit and pay a fine of not more than $10 for each offense under § 22-1313; each night of burning or each fire counts separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have a backyard bonfire in Washington, D.C.?
Section 22-1313 bans kindling a bonfire or combustible pile in streets, alleys, open ground, or lots between sunset and sunrise anywhere in the District, with no exception listed for private lots.
What's the penalty for illegal open burning in D.C.?
Up to $10 per offense under § 22-1313, a fine set when the statute was enacted and never updated by the Council since.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Washington

Noise Ordinances: Construction HoursSome RestrictionsSmoke DetectorsSome RestrictionsFireworksSignificant RestrictionsCurfew Laws: Juvenile CurfewHeavy RestrictionsTree Protection: Urban Forest EquityLight RestrictionsEnvironmental Rules: Heat Island MitigationSome RestrictionsZoning Overlays & Bonuses: Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC)Some RestrictionsEnvironmental Rules: Shoreline ManagementSome Restrictions

All Washington rules

How Washington compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Washington to another location·View the District of Columbia fire regulations overview

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