Burn bans in Vermont
Vermont has no county-declared burn bans. Under 10 V.S.A. § 2645, a person needs permission from their Town Forest Fire Warden before kindling any open-air fire to burn wood, brush, weeds, or grass — an individual permit, not a county order — unless there is snow on the ground (though many towns require a permit year-round regardless). The Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation rates fire danger daily for each of the state's 5 Fire Danger Rating Areas (FDRAs), zones drawn from climate, fuel, and topography rather than county lines, and wardens use that rating to decide whether to issue permits that day.
The Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation publishes one fire-danger rating per FDRA each day. Town Forest Fire Wardens use that rating to decide whether to issue burn permits that day — the rating itself isn't a standing order, and can change daily.
5 FDRAs cover Vermont's 14 counties, and 9 of those counties fall across more than one. Where a county spans more than one FDRA, we show the most restrictive FDRA's status, and list every FDRA below with its own rating.
Every Fire Danger Rating Area in Vermont
This is the level Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation actually publishes. Each area's wording below is the agency's own.
| FDRA | Status | Level published | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Danger Rating Area 1 Vermont Dept. of Forests, Parks and Recreation | No Restrictions | Moderate | Aug 18, 2026 |
| Fire Danger Rating Area 2 Vermont Dept. of Forests, Parks and Recreation | No Restrictions | Moderate | Aug 20, 2026 |
| Fire Danger Rating Area 3 Vermont Dept. of Forests, Parks and Recreation | No Restrictions | Low | Aug 6, 2026 |
| Fire Danger Rating Area 4 Vermont Dept. of Forests, Parks and Recreation | No Restrictions | Low | Aug 7, 2026 |
| Fire Danger Rating Area 5 Vermont Dept. of Forests, Parks and Recreation | No Restrictions | Low | Aug 7, 2026 |
All counties in Vermont
A county's status is the most restrictive of the FDRAs covering it. Open a county to see each area separately.
| county | Status | FDRAs covering it | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addison | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 3, Fire Danger Rating Area 4, Fire Danger Rating Area 2 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Bennington | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 1, Fire Danger Rating Area 2 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Caledonia | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 5, Fire Danger Rating Area 4 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Chittenden | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 3, Fire Danger Rating Area 4 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Essex | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 5 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Franklin | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 3, Fire Danger Rating Area 5 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Grand Isle | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 3 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Lamoille | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 4, Fire Danger Rating Area 5 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Orange | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 4 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Orleans | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 5 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Rutland | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 1, Fire Danger Rating Area 2, Fire Danger Rating Area 3 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Washington | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 4 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Windham | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 2, Fire Danger Rating Area 1 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Windsor | No Restrictions | Fire Danger Rating Area 1, Fire Danger Rating Area 2 | Aug 16, 2026 |
Vermont sets daily fire danger by Fire Danger Rating Area, not by county
Low / Moderate / High / Very High / Extreme
The National Fire Danger Rating System scale FPR uses daily. Permits are generally issued freely at Low and Moderate; FPR's own guidance says outdoor burning should be avoided at High, is not recommended at Very High, and should not take place at all at Extreme.
A permit is still required either way
Even on a Low-danger day, an open-air fire in Vermont needs an individual permit from your Town Forest Fire Warden. The daily rating changes what a warden is willing to approve — it does not remove the permit requirement itself.
The Governor can close the whole state at once
Under 10 V.S.A. § 2646, the Governor can proclaim a statewide prohibition on kindling fires, or close woodlands entirely, when fire danger is excessive — FPR has used this power for a no-permits-issued statewide debris-burning ban. This page tracks the daily FDRA rating, not Governor proclamations directly — always check current FPR news during a dry spell.
How Vermont decides
- Vermont has 14 counties and 5 Fire Danger Rating Areas — the FDRA, not the county, is what the state actually rates.
- Several counties span more than one FDRA (Addison, Rutland, and Windsor each touch three), so this page shows the most restrictive rating covering any part of the county.
- A burn permit is free from your Town Forest Fire Warden, but many towns require one year-round even when there's snow on the ground.
- No open burning should take place anywhere the fire danger rating is Extreme, regardless of what a previously issued permit allows.
Penalties in Vermont
Under 10 V.S.A. § 2675, violating the open-burning permit requirement in § 2645 is punishable by a fine of not more than $75 per violation — a continuing violation after a warden's complaint can be charged as a separate violation for each day it continues.
Classification: Civil fine · Maximum fine: up to $75 per violation, per day
Common questions about Vermont burn bans
Is there a burn ban in Vermont right now?
No county-level burn ban is currently reported by Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation for Vermont. Municipal rules within a county may still apply.
How does Vermont issue a burn ban?
Vermont has no county-declared burn bans. Under 10 V.S.A. § 2645, a person needs permission from their Town Forest Fire Warden before kindling any open-air fire to burn wood, brush, weeds, or grass — an individual permit, not a county order — unless there is snow on the ground (though many towns require a permit year-round regardless). The Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation rates fire danger daily for each of the state's 5 Fire Danger Rating Areas (FDRAs), zones drawn from climate, fuel, and topography rather than county lines, and wardens use that rating to decide whether to issue permits that day.
How long does a burn ban last in Vermont?
Vermont's statutory rule applies during a fixed calendar window each year. Governor emergency orders can extend or expand restrictions and are reflected here within one business day of publication.
What are the penalties for violating a burn ban in Vermont?
Under 10 V.S.A. § 2675, violating the open-burning permit requirement in § 2645 is punishable by a fine of not more than $75 per violation — a continuing violation after a warden's complaint can be charged as a separate violation for each day it continues.
burnbanradar reports the counties-level orders as published by Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. Municipal ordinances may impose stricter rules. When Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation does not list a county, that does not mean no ban exists — verify with the county office. The published order governs.