Burn bans in South Dakota

No county-level burn ban is currently reported by South Dakota Department of Public Safety — Wildland Fire for South Dakota. Municipal rules within a county may still apply.

A South Dakota county's board of commissioners can prohibit or restrict open burning countywide under SDCL 7-8-20(18), after consulting local fire and law enforcement officials. Some counties hold a standing ban that self-activates whenever the National Weather Service's South Dakota Grassland Fire Danger Index reaches High, Very High, or Extreme; others declare a ban only by an ad hoc Commission vote, announced by press release or on the county's own website. A resolution can take effect immediately as an emergency measure (SDCL 7-18A-8) rather than waiting the normal 20 days. There is no statewide index, feed, or map of current county 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 SDCL 7-18A-2, violating any county ordinance — including a burn-ban resolution passed under SDCL 7-8-20(18) — is punishable by a fine up to the Class 2 misdemeanor limit set by SDCL 22-6-2(2) ($500), imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both, per violation; a county may also pursue civil injunctive relief.