Open Burning Permits
If you live in the city limits of Naperville, open burning is prohibited. On occasion, the Naperville Fire Department will issue a permit for open camp fires and bonfires in accordance with the Fire Prevention Code. Burning of prairie grass is allowed after a burn permit is issued. To obtain a burn permit, residents must secure and bring an Illinois EPA Permit to the fire department at 1380 Aurora Ave.
If you live in unincorporated DuPage or Will Counties, open burning is prohibited unless an EPA permit is obtained. It is illegal to burn construction debris in both DuPage and Will counties.
Naperville City Limits
In the City of Naperville and Naperville Fire Protection District, uncontrolled open burning (leaves, construction debris, and garbage) is prohibited except for the following.
Permits: Persons/agencies may obtain an Open Burn Permit issued by the Fire Prevention Bureau. These permits are issued for prairie grass burns (which require an I-EPA permit), bon fires, and sometimes for cookouts and campfires. Copies of the Open Burn Permit are distributed to the Fire Department Operations Assistant Chief and PSAP. Permit applications shall be made one week prior to the burn date.
Plant Material: It shall be unlawful and a nuisance for any person to burn or cause to be burned anywhere in the City any leaves, branches, or similar foliage from trees, shrubs, bushes, or plants.
Open Burning: No person shall make, kindle, or light any fire in any part of any of the public streets, alleys, or other public places in the City, except an employee of the City in the line of duty; nor upon any private property if there be apparent danger of fire to any buildings or property in the neighborhood of the same, without some person being in continuous attendance at such fire who is capable of preventing the spreading thereof.
Recreational Fires: Open burning does not include recreational fires, which includes fires used for cooking purposes and fires in commercially built outdoor fireplaces. Only charcoal and clean dry wood may be burned in these types of fires, no garbage or trash. Recreational fires do not require an Open Burn Permit.
Dense Smoke: It shall be unlawful to cause or permit the emission of dense smoke from any fire, chimney, engine, oil burner, or any other agency in the City so as to cause annoyance or discomfort to the resident thereof.
Location: No person shall kindle or maintain any bonfire, campfire, recreational, or cooking fire on any private land unless the location is not less than 50 feet from any structure. Fires in approved containers shall be permitted within 15 feet of any structure.
Unincorporated DuPage County
Open burning is prohibited unless an EPA or NFD permit is obtained.
Unincorporated Will County
Open burning of waste materials of any nature is prohibited unless an EPA or NFD permit is obtained.
Plant Material: The burning of dry leaves, branches, or bushes originating on an owner's property is permitted. This applies only to dry landscape waste burned on the property of origin.
Such open burning is allowed under the following conditions:
- Fires (including legitimate campfires) shall not be located less than 50 feet from any property line or any structure with adequate provisions made to prevent spreading of the fire.
- Fires in approved containers shall be located not less than 15 feet from any neighboring structure.
A competent person shall constantly attend all such fires until the fire is extinguished. This person shall have a hose connected to a water supply or other fire extinguishing equipment ready for use. This person shall be responsible for notifying the local fire department before starting the fire.
Response Guidelines
- When responding to an open burning complaint dispatched by PSAP, NFD units shall proceed in a non-emergency response mode.
- If properly permitted, the permit holder or other responsible party shall be present during open burns.
- Any open burn or fire out of control and/or presenting a dangerous situation shall be extinguished.
- Any open burn or fire that produces smoke, which may be the cause of or causing a reported health problem shall be extinguished.
- This includes recreational fires. If necessary, the appropriate law enforcement agency can be summoned to the scene of the incident for enforcement of any open burning ordinances.
- Repeated responses and violations of the open burning regulations at the same location shall be reported to the Fire Prevention Bureau for follow-up action.
- The Fire Department unit assigned to the open burning incident shall attempt to contact the complainant from the station after incident and report any action taken by the Fire Department.