The Lake County Board voted yesterday to amend a temporary emergency ordinance that is effective through Dec. 31, 2020, which allows open burning in unincorporated Lake County from sunrise to sunset only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and further accommodates landscape maintenance on larger properties on all days of the week.
Prior to this spring, open burning was allowed every day in unincorporated Lake County. However, on May 12, the Lake County Board voted to temporarily ban open burning due to COVID-19. In August, the Board then voted to approve burning on limited days. Yesterday’s action by the Board extended the ordinance that was set to expire, and made a few adjustments in recognition of the fall leaf season.
Important aspects of the temporary ordinance to be aware of are:
- Open burning is allowed on all properties in the unincorporated areas from sunrise to sunset only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. NEW: The ordinance also allows open burning from sunrise to sunset on any day of the week if the burning occurs at least 500 feet from the nearest habitable structure.
- NEW: The temporary emergency ordinance will now expire on December 31, 2020.
- Per Section 307.5 of the 2012 International Fire Code, all fires must be attended and there must be an extinguishing device immediately available, such as a hose with running water.
- Recreational fires that are no larger than 3’ x 3’ x 3’ used for warming, cooking, and other recreational purposes and do not contain specified landscape waste (non-woody materials) are still permitted on all days of the week.
- Burning garbage, refuse, or construction materials remains prohibited.
- Not adhering to the emergency ordinance can result in a violation. To report an open burning violation occurring in the unincorporated area, please call the Lake County Open Burning Hotline at 847-377-2999. Please have the address, specific location or Property Index Number (PIN), if available, of the property where the violation is occurring so that Lake County may follow up on the complaint in a time-efficient manner.
