Yulee Burn Rules: Get Authorization for Yard Waste & More

Yulee residents planning to burn vegetative debris on their property must follow Florida Forest Service regulations. Burning yard waste is permitted under specific conditions, but other types of fires require official authorization.

Agricultural, silvicultural, and land clearing activities, along with large acreage burns, all necessitate a burning authorization from the Florida Forest Service. These permits ensure burns occur safely and with necessary precautions.

For yard waste, including grass clippings, brush, leaves, tree limbs, and palm fronds from yard maintenance, residents may burn if they meet specific requirements. These include adhering to required setbacks and ensuring no local, city, or county ordinances prohibit the activity. Residents should confirm local restrictions with city and county officials.

Yard waste must originate from the property and fit within an 8-foot diameter pile or a non-combustible container. Fires must start after 8 a.m. Central Time or 9 a.m. Eastern Time and end one hour before sunset. Smoke must not cause a hazard or nuisance. A clear area down to bare soil must surround the burn pile to prevent flame spread.

Wire mesh should cover non-combustible containers to prevent sparks. Piles larger than 8 feet in diameter require a Florida Forest Service authorization, on-site suppression equipment, and additional setback requirements.

Burning household garbage, including paper products, treated lumber, plastics, rubber materials, tires, and containers that held pesticides, paint, or aerosols, is illegal.

Required setbacks for yard waste burning include 25 feet from forests, 50 feet from paved public roads, 25 feet from a house, and 150 feet from other occupied buildings.

Residents with questions about local ordinances or burning rules should contact their city and county officials.