What changed · September 2, 2026
Kentucky · Burn Bans
current restrictions
Before
Now
The rule today
Kentucky's fall forest fire hazard season is IN EFFECT now: it began on Thursday, October 1, 2026 and runs through December 15, 2026: during it, burning between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. within 150 feet of any woodland or brushland is illegal (Division of Forestry; the spring season runs February 15 through April 30). The Division of Forestry's official County Burn Bans page NO LONGER LISTS ANY COUNTY: WASHINGTON COUNTY, the only county on it at LawLert's previous reading, is off the list, and the page now states that the Division "is not aware of any local bans issued by County Judge-Executives." County judge-executives can issue local bans at any time under KRS 149.401 and the Division "isn't always notified when a burn ban is issued," so a county ban can be in force without appearing there; a ban generally prohibits debris burning, campfires, bonfires, warming fires, open-pit cooking and charcoal grilling (violation is a misdemeanor) — restrictions are set county by county, so confirm with your county judge-executive's office or local fire department before burning. Year-round air-quality rules still limit what may be burned (natural vegetation only; burning garbage or waste is prohibited).
✓ Verified against the official source · November 12, 2026 · Official source ↗
We watch the official sources behind Kentucky burn bans rules. If a tracked rule changes, you get one short email — never more than one a week. Free, unsubscribe anytime.
A “change” is a verified status flip on a tracked rule, or a substantive edit to the rule’s terms — a changed fee, limit, permit or date — shown as “Details updated”. General legal information from official sources — not legal advice; always confirm with the official source linked above.