Burn bans in Nebraska

No county-level burn ban is currently reported by Nebraska State Fire Marshal for Nebraska. Municipal rules within a county may still apply.

Nebraska bans bonfires, outdoor rubbish fires, and land-clearing fires statewide by statute (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-520.01) — burning any of those is only lawful with a permit from the local fire chief, issued on a form the State Fire Marshal prescribes. There is no statewide index of who currently holds a permit. On top of that permanent baseline, the Governor can order a broader emergency burn ban when conditions are severe — real and recent (issued March 2026, extended, then rescinded in April 2026) — but each order is announced only as an individual press release, with no index, feed, or live map to check current status.

Bans are issued by county officials and typically stay in effect until conditions improve or the order expires. Some counties set explicit expiration dates; others leave a ban open-ended until lifted. Check each county's page for the expiration listed on the current order.

Under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-520.02, violating the statewide open burning ban is a Class IV misdemeanor — under § 28-106, that carries a fine of up to $500 and no imprisonment.