Outdoor burning rules in Camden County, NJ — 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 broadly prohibited in New Jersey under state air-pollution rules. Recreational fires and small bonfires are allowed under the Uniform Fire Code, but permits from the local fire official are often required.
New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection controls open burning under N.J.A.C. 7:27-2, and the State Forest Fire Service permits agricultural and land-clearing burns. Under the Uniform Fire Code, recreational fires need no permit, but bonfires do, and burning rubbish or leaves is generally banned. Bonfires must stay 50 feet from structures and cannot exceed 5x5x5 feet or burn more than 3 hours. Camden County sets no separate open-burning ordinance for private property; municipal fire officials and the NJ Forest Fire Service enforce the state rules. During high fire danger, burn bans may apply countywide.
Illegal open burning is enforced by the municipal fire official and NJDEP; violators face fire-code notices, DEP air-pollution penalties, and liability for any resulting wildfire—one 2025 NJ bonfire caused a 15,000-acre fire.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Camden County's outdoor burning rules stack up against other locations.
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