Burn Bans

Wisconsin has no statewide burn ban, and no county carries an emergency burning restriction. The DNR's official burn-restriction feed, read September 30, 2026, posts LOW fire danger in all 72 counties. The feed is not a same-day statewide snapshot — each county carries its own posting date, and those range from June 5 to September 30, 2026, so treat a county's rating as its most recent posting rather than today's. What the feed allows differs by county. In 30 counties — Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Eau Claire, Florence, Forest, Iron, Jackson, Juneau, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Marinette, Menominee, Monroe, Oneida, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Shawano, Taylor, Vilas, Washburn and Wood — and in northern Oconto County, burning is allowed only with a DNR annual burning permit, only from 6 p.m. to midnight, and only for a covered barrel, a debris pile smaller than 6 by 6 by 6 feet, or a grass or wooded area smaller than 1 acre; anything larger needs a special burning permit from the local DNR Ranger Station. In 12 counties — Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Grant, Green Lake, Iowa, Marquette, Portage, Richland, Sauk, Waupaca and Waushara — and in southern Oconto County, a DNR annual permit is not required from June 1 to December 31 unless emergency burning restrictions are in effect. In the other 29 counties the DNR does not issue burning permits; local fire departments, town chairpersons and municipal ordinances control burning there. Several counties also ask you to call the sheriff or dispatch center before burning a brush pile. DAILY burn restrictions do not post until after 9 a.m. Central — check WisBURN or call 1-888-WIS-BURN (947-2876) on the day you plan to burn.