Live fire restrictions & Red Flag Warnings · National Weather Service
🔴 Red Flag Warning
Critical fire weather — extreme danger, high winds, low humidity. Burning is typically banned statewide and by county.
🟠 Fire Weather Watch
Dangerous conditions developing within 24–72 hrs. Monitor for upgrade to Red Flag Warning and imminent restrictions.
⚠️ County bans may differ
Illinois county burn bans and USFS Stage 1–3 restrictions are separate — always confirm with your local fire authority.
Checking Illinois fire-weather alerts…
The NWS map above shows fire-weather alerts — for the legally binding burn ban status, go directly to the official Illinois source:
Illinois EPAOpen burning rulesOpen official source ↗Also check your county government website — a county burn ban can be in effect even when Illinois has no statewide restriction.
🚫 Prohibited
✓ Usually Still Allowed
Always confirm with the issuing agency — specific orders vary.
County burn bans in Illinois are issued separately from state-level restrictions — a county can be under a burn ban even when the rest of the state is not. County commissioners, the county fire marshal, or the county judge typically issue these orders, and they are not reflected in NWS alerts shown on the map above.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) is the primary state authority regulating open burning through the Bureau of Air; local county boards and municipalities may enact additional or total burn bans by ordinance. Illinois does not maintain a single centralized statewide county burn ban map — county-level bans must be verified with individual county or municipal governments.
Illinois County Burn Bans & Open Burning — Illinois EPAView county map ↗Federal land managers use a tiered system that escalates as fire danger increases. Stage restrictions apply only to the land they are issued for — your county may have a separate burn ban on private land.
Open burning prohibited. Campfires may still be allowed in designated fire rings at developed campgrounds. Portable gas and pressurized-liquid stoves are typically allowed in cleared areas.
All open fires prohibited — including campfires in developed campgrounds. Gas stoves may be allowed in cleared areas. Chainsaw use and motorized off-road vehicles restricted.
Maximum restriction before full closure. All fires may be prohibited. Motorized vehicle use off designated roads, shooting, and spark-producing tools are typically banned.
State or county-level complete ban on all open burning — campfires, burn barrels, brush and agricultural burning. Gas and propane grills for cooking are usually still allowed.
Area is fully closed — no public access or fire-related activity of any kind is permitted.
Typically equivalent to Stage 1. Open burning prohibited; campfires in developed campgrounds may still be allowed. Common on BLM land in NV, OR, and ID.
Agency-specific restriction with unique terms. Always read the specific order from the issuing land management office — scope varies significantly.
Oregon ODF Industrial Fire Precaution Level — applies to industrial operations (logging, equipment) on ODF-protected state and private forestland. IFPL I is the lowest level; IFPL IV is the most restrictive. Separate from USFS campfire restrictions.
Restriction scope and exact prohibitions vary by agency and order. Always confirm with the issuing land management office or visit the official source linked above.
Illinois EPA issues free open burning permits for four specific categories: firefighter training, landscape waste with air curtain destructors, prairie/ecological restoration burns, and disaster debris burning. Applications are submitted to the Illinois EPA Bureau of Air, 2520 W. Iles Ave., Springfield, IL 62794, or via email to EPA.BOA.OpenBurning@illinois.gov. The agency has 90 days by law to issue permits. Standard permit conditions require continuous supervision, wind speeds exceeding 5 mph, burning during daytime hours only, and no excessive odors or particulate matter. Municipalities may also require separate local open burn permits under the Local Government Open Burn Permit Act.
Get Illinois burning permit ↗Or call the Illinois forestry hotline: 217-782-3397 (Illinois EPA, Bureau of Air — open burning); 217-782-6302 (Illinois DNR main line)
Illinois fire risk peaks in two windows: early spring (March–April) when dormant prairie grasses and agricultural fields dry rapidly after snowmelt, and fall (October–November) after vegetation dies back. Central and southern Illinois experience the highest fire weather risk due to open agricultural landscapes, wide swings in humidity, and strong wind events. The IEPA recommends prescribed burns between October 1 and April 30 for central Illinois, reflecting when fire behavior is most predictable and controllable.
Statewide or regional burn bans and open-burning suspensions on state and private land.
County-wide burn bans — the level that most often affects homeowners and is easy to miss.
Stage 1–3 fire restrictions and closures on national forests, parks, and other federal land.
Municipal open-burning rules, fireworks bans, and local red-flag restrictions.
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The live map and status strip above show active Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches from the National Weather Service for Illinois. For the legally binding answer, check the official Illinois source: Illinois EPA at https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/air-quality/open-burning.html. Also confirm with your county — a county burn ban can be in effect even when no statewide restriction exists.
During an active burn ban, Illinois prohibits: Open burning of refuse, including garbage, food scraps, diapers, and commercial/industrial waste — banned statewide under Section 9 of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act (415 ILCS 5/9); Burning construction or demolition debris, tires, and asbestos-containing materials at any time; Conducting salvage operations by open burning; Burning landscape waste (leaves, brush) in counties with populations over 400,000 — this includes Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, and Kane counties; Any open burning during local county or municipal no-burn days established under the Local Government Open Burn Permit Act; Open burning by businesses of trade waste except permitted landscape waste; Outdoor burning outside permitted hours — state permits typically restrict burning to 8 a.m.–4 p.m. CST or 9 a.m.–5 p.m. CDT. Typically still allowed: Landscape waste burning on owner's property outside high-population counties (populations under 400,000); Agricultural waste burning on farm premises outside populated areas when atmospheric conditions support smoke dispersal; Campfires and recreational fires on private property and in designated public areas using approved fuels (no garbage); Habitat management and prairie burns with an Illinois EPA permit (free); Firefighter training fires and equipment testing with Illinois EPA permit. Always verify the specific order with Illinois EPA — prohibited activities can vary by jurisdiction and restriction level.
Gas and propane grills used for cooking on private residential property are typically allowed during a Illinois burn ban. Charcoal grills may be permitted in calm conditions but check the specific order. Wood-fired grills, outdoor fire pits, and campfires are usually prohibited. Always verify with Illinois EPA before lighting anything.
Multiple authorities can issue burn bans in Illinois independently: Illinois EPA for statewide or regional orders; County Board (adopts burn ban ordinances under Illinois Home Rule authority or state enabling legislation); Illinois EPA and Illinois Pollution Control Board regulate statewide open burning standards for county-wide bans that affect most homeowners; federal land managers (U.S. Forest Service, BLM, NPS) for Stage 1–3 restrictions on federal land; and cities or local fire districts for additional local rules. A county burn ban can be active even with no statewide restriction — always check both.
Burn bans in Illinois have no fixed duration — they are issued when fire danger is high and lifted when conditions improve, which can happen overnight or persist for weeks during drought. Red Flag Warnings from the NWS typically last 24–48 hours. State and county burn bans are lifted separately. Check the issuing agency daily during dry, windy conditions.
Illinois fire risk peaks in two windows: early spring (March–April) when dormant prairie grasses and agricultural fields dry rapidly after snowmelt, and fall (October–November) after vegetation dies back. Central and southern Illinois experience the highest fire weather risk due to open agricultural landscapes, wide swings in humidity, and strong wind events. The IEPA recommends prescribed burns between October 1 and April 30 for central Illinois, reflecting when fire behavior is most predictable and controllable.
Illinois EPA issues free open burning permits for four specific categories: firefighter training, landscape waste with air curtain destructors, prairie/ecological restoration burns, and disaster debris burning. Applications are submitted to the Illinois EPA Bureau of Air, 2520 W. Iles Ave., Springfield, IL 62794, or via email to EPA.BOA.OpenBurning@illinois.gov. The agency has 90 days by law to issue permits. Standard permit conditions require continuous supervision, wind speeds exceeding 5 mph, burning during daytime hours only, and no excessive odors or particulate matter. Municipalities may also require separate local open burn permits under the Local Government Open Burn Permit Act.
Violating a Illinois burn ban can result in: Civil penalty up to $100,000 per violation of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act (415 ILCS 5/42); Additional civil penalty up to $25,000 for each day the violation continues; Local municipal ordinance penalties vary — neighbors may seek injunctive relief to stop illegal burning; Violation of local open burn permit conditions subject to local government enforcement and fines; Prescribed burn without a Certified Prescribed Burn Manager (where required) may result in regulatory action and liability for suppression costs.
Sign up for free FireRisk.ai fire alerts below — we'll notify you when the NWS issues a Red Flag Warning for your area of Illinois. For county burn ban alerts, register with your county emergency management system (Nixle, Everbridge, or your county's sign-up page). Monitor Illinois EPA at https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/air-quality/open-burning.html for statewide orders.
FireRisk.ai aggregates live fire-weather alerts from the National Weather Service and links to official Illinois agency sources. Burn ban status changes daily — always confirm with the official source and your county before any outdoor burning. This page is for awareness only and is not an official or legal notice. For fire emergencies call 911.
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