A Hillsborough County burn ban is an emergency executive order that shuts down nearly all outdoor fires when drought conditions make wildfires likely. When one is active, you cannot use fireworks or sparklers, light a backyard fire pit, or burn yard debris. Grilling is still allowed with conditions. Violating the order is a criminal misdemeanor, and if a fire escapes you can also be billed for what it costs to put it out.
Check Whether a Ban Is Active Right Now
The county’s emergency orders page lists every current executive order, including any active ban on outdoor burning.1Hillsborough County. Emergency Orders The county newsroom also posts announcements when a ban is first issued or extended.2Hillsborough County. Hillsborough County Continues Extension of Emergency Ban on Open Burning – May 28, 2026
Don’t assume an older order has already expired. Florida’s dry season can run for months, and the County Administrator often extends a ban in seven-day increments rather than issuing one long order.
What the Ban Prohibits
The executive order bans all outdoor open burning unless the Florida Forest Service has specifically authorized it. That covers the obvious things like burning brush piles, but the order reaches further than most people expect.3Hillsborough County. Executive Order Banning Outdoor Burning Issued on 5/6/2026
- All consumer fireworks, including sparklers, are explicitly banned. Professional displays require a separate permit from the county Fire Marshal’s Office even during non-ban periods.
- Fire pits and portable outdoor fireplaces are prohibited, even ones with a spark arrestor.
- Burning leaves, branches, grass clippings, or any vegetative debris is off-limits. Residential yard-waste burning is actually prohibited in Hillsborough County at all times, not just during a ban.
What You Can Still Do
Outdoor grilling is still allowed. The order requires that someone stay with the grill the entire time it is in use, and this applies to charcoal grills, gas grills, and smokers alike. Walk away from a lit charcoal grill to answer the phone and you are technically in violation.3Hillsborough County. Executive Order Banning Outdoor Burning Issued on 5/6/2026
Agricultural and land-management burns already authorized by the Florida Forest Service can continue, but the responsible person must call the county’s Emergency Dispatch Center by 8 a.m. on the day of the burn to report the authorization. The burn must also comply with all conditions in the authorization, state statutes, and Florida Forest Service rules.3Hillsborough County. Executive Order Banning Outdoor Burning Issued on 5/6/2026
How Long a Ban Lasts
Under Florida law, an emergency order like a burn ban automatically expires after seven days. The County Administrator or Board of County Commissioners can extend it in seven-day increments, but the total duration cannot exceed 42 days without a new justification.4Florida Senate. Florida Code 252.38 – Emergency Management In practice, expect back-to-back orders when drought conditions persist. Check the emergency orders page regularly.
Penalties for Violating the Ban
Violating a burn ban executive order is a second-degree misdemeanor under Florida’s emergency management statutes, carrying up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.3Hillsborough County. Executive Order Banning Outdoor Burning Issued on 5/6/20265Florida Senate. Florida Code 775.082 – Penalties, Applicability of Sentencing Structures, Notification to Department of Revenue That is the baseline charge. Other statutes can stack on top.
Throwing or dropping a lit cigarette, match, or other burning material that could cause a grass or woods fire is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.6The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 590.10 – Disposing of Lighted Substances If a fire you set intentionally spreads to land you don’t own and you didn’t have authorization from the Florida Forest Service, the charge jumps to a third-degree felony.
You Can Also Be Billed for Suppression Costs
Anyone who causes a wildfire or lets an authorized fire escape is personally liable for all reasonable suppression costs, with a minimum charge of $150. The Florida Forest Service sends a demand for payment, and if you don’t pay within 30 days it can pursue legal action to collect. Any other agency that helped fight the fire at the Forest Service’s direction can recover its costs separately.7The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 590.14 – Notice of Violation, Penalties, Legislative Intent
The Florida Forest Service can also impose administrative fines on top of suppression costs, calculated based on the severity of damage, your prior violation history, and whether you provided false information to obtain a burn authorization. These penalties apply not just to the person who physically set the fire but also to anyone who directed or permitted the violation.7The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 590.14 – Notice of Violation, Penalties, Legislative Intent
Rules That Apply Even When No Ban Is Active
Hillsborough County has some of the strictest open burning rules in Florida. The Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County prohibits all open burning unless you have an authorization or the activity qualifies for an exemption.8Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County. Open Burning FAQs New residents often don’t realize this.
Residential burning of yard waste, tree-cutting debris, household garbage, and trash is always prohibited, drought or not. The following materials can never be incinerated: tires, rubber, treated or painted wood, plastics, roofing material, asphalt, used oil, asbestos-containing materials, and pharmaceuticals. Agricultural operations have limited exceptions for some of these.8Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County. Open Burning FAQs
Recreational burning for cooking and warming is allowed year-round under normal conditions, but only in a non-flammable container, only with natural logs or clean untreated wood, and only well away from power lines and overhanging branches.8Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County. Open Burning FAQs During a burn ban, even this gets shut down.
Legal Ways to Get Rid of Yard Waste
Since residential burning isn’t an option here at any time, the county offers weekly curbside pickup for yard and wood waste on a scheduled day you can look up through the county’s online scheduling tool.9Hillsborough County. Discarding Yard and Wood Waste
The standard weekly limit is two cubic yards, roughly twelve 30-gallon bags or containers. During February, March, and April, the limit rises to three cubic yards or eighteen 30-gallon containers per week to account for heavier pruning. Branches must be shorter than four feet and no more than six inches in diameter, bundled or neatly stacked within six feet of the curb. Each container or bundle cannot exceed 50 pounds.9Hillsborough County. Discarding Yard and Wood Waste
If you have more than curbside allows, the county operates two solid waste facilities, the Northwest County and South County facilities, that accept yard and wood waste Monday through Saturday. Residents can haul up to two tons per year at no additional charge as part of the annual solid waste assessment. Beyond that, standard disposal fees apply. All yard and wood waste must be free of paint, glue, and wood preservatives.9Hillsborough County. Discarding Yard and Wood Waste
Reporting an Illegal Burn
If a fire poses an immediate danger to people or property, call 911. For non-emergency situations where someone is burning illegally but the fire isn’t actively threatening, contact the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County at 813-627-2600 or the Florida Forest Service at 863-940-6701.8Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County. Open Burning FAQs Have the location, what appears to be burning, and the time you first noticed it ready when you call.