Burn bans in Pennsylvania

No county-level burn ban is currently reported by Pennsylvania DCNR — County Burn Bans map for Pennsylvania. Municipal rules within a county may still apply.

A Pennsylvania county (second class through eighth class, which is every county except Philadelphia) can impose a temporary countywide burn ban on open fires by resolution, once its district forester has received requests from at least 10 fire chiefs or 50% of the county's fire chiefs, whichever is fewer. A ban lasts up to 30 days, and county commissioners can extend it once for another 30 days on the district forester's recommendation. DCNR separately enforces seasonal fire-ring restrictions on state forest land (March 1 – May 25, and whenever forest-fire danger is high, very high, or extreme) and can invoke a full statewide ban only by the Governor's proclamation.

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.

Violating a county burn ban imposed under the Act of Oct. 24, 1995, P.L. 332, No. 52 is a summary offense: a fine of not more than $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second, and $300 for a third, enforced by any sworn police officer including the Pennsylvania State Police. Where a municipality also has its own open-burning ordinance, a violation can only be cited once — under either the county resolution or the municipal ordinance, never both for the same act.