Open Burning Information

Department of Environmental Quality Burn Pile Information

Open Burning Violations can result in penalties of up to $10,000 per day of violation!

Commercial, Industrial, and Demolition Open Burning 
IS ALWAYS PROHIBITED

For daily burn information please click on this link www.burndaymessage.com

Commercial open burning means the open burning of such commercial waste as material from offices, wholesale or retail yards and outlets, warehouses, restaurants, mobile home parks and dwellings containing more than four family living units such as apartments, hotels, motels and dormitories.

Industrial open burning means the open burning of any material, including process waste, produced as the direct result of any manufacturing or industrial process.

Demolition open burning means the open burning of such demolition waste that is any material actually resulting from, or produced by, the complete or partial destruction or tearing down of any man-made structure or the clearing of any site for land improvement or cleanup, excluding yard debris (domestic waste) or agricultural waste.

Domestic (Residential) Open Burning is No Longer Allowed within the City Limits of Cornelius.

Domestic open burning means the open burning of yard debris.  Yard debris means wood, needle or leaf materials from trees, shrubs or plants from the real property appurtenant to a dwelling of not more than four family living units so long as debris remains on the property of origin.

Agricultural (Rural) Open Burning

Outside the city limits of Cornelius
MAY BE ALLOWED

The dates of:

March 1 - June 15
October 1 - December 15

NOTE: DATES ARE ALWAYS SUBJECT TO CHANGE!  

Please contact the Washington County Dispatch Center at 503-629-0111 when burning large amounts of debris.

For daily burn information please click on this link   www.burndaymessage.com

Agricultural open burning means the open burning of agricultural waste generated by an agricultural operation that uses, or intends to use, land primarily for the purpose of obtaining a profit in money by raising, harvesting, and selling crops or raising and selling animals (including poultry) or the produce thereof.  The agricultural operation must be large enough to have a profit motive as a reasonable objective, large enough not to be confused with a personal garden or hobby.