What changed · October 12, 2026
Minnesota · Burn Bans
current restrictions
Details updated — status unchanged
What changed
- was26
- was41
- was51
- nowOct 11, 2026
- now20
- now21
- now5
- now72
Before
Minnesota requires a DNR burning permit for open debris burning statewide, and restrictions are set county-by-county on the DNR's burning-restrictions map, which is updated daily. BURNING RESTRICTIONS ARE BACK IN 41 OF THE DNR'S 92 COUNTY UNITS: the DNR's burning-restrictions data, with county entries updated October 9, 2026 through October 11, 2026, shows NO OPEN BURNING (campfires allowed) in 26 counties: Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pine, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley, Swift, Watonwan and Yellow Medicine. RESTRICTED - AGENCY APPROVED PERMITS ONLY in 8 counties: Benton, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd and Wright. RESTRICTED - VARIANCE PERMITS ONLY in 7 counties: Anoka, Chisago, Hennepin, Isanti, Itasca, Ramsey and Washington. The other 51 units, including Cook, Lake and both St. Louis County units, read Permits Required: a DNR burning permit is needed before you burn brush or yard waste. No county is at the top level, Elevated Burning Restrictions. The DNR changes these county by county, often daily, so check the DNR restrictions map for your county before burning or lighting any fire.
Now
Minnesota requires a DNR burning permit for open debris burning statewide, and restrictions are set county-by-county on the DNR's burning-restrictions map, which is updated daily. RESTRICTIONS EASED IN 21 COUNTIES ON OCTOBER 11, 2026 BUT REMAIN IN 20 OF THE DNR'S 92 COUNTY UNITS: the DNR's burning-restrictions data, with county entries updated through October 11, 2026, shows NO OPEN BURNING (campfires allowed) in 5 counties: Brown, McLeod, Pine, Watonwan and Yellow Medicine. RESTRICTED - AGENCY APPROVED PERMITS ONLY in 8 counties: Benton, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd and Wright. RESTRICTED - VARIANCE PERMITS ONLY in 7 counties: Anoka, Chisago, Hennepin, Isanti, Itasca, Ramsey and Washington. The other 72 units read Permits Required: a DNR burning permit is needed before you burn brush or yard waste. They include Cook, Lake and both St. Louis County units, and 21 counties the DNR lifted out of the No Open Burning level on October 11, 2026: Big Stone, Blue Earth, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Meeker, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley and Swift. No county is at the top level, Elevated Burning Restrictions. The DNR changes these county by county, often daily, so check the DNR restrictions map for your county before burning or lighting any fire.
The rule today
Minnesota requires a DNR burning permit for open debris burning statewide, and restrictions are set county by county on the DNR's burning-restrictions map, which is updated daily. NO OPEN BURNING IN 8 SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA COUNTIES: on October 17, 2026 the DNR moved Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone and Rock counties to "No Open Burning - Campfires Allowed", so open burning of brush, yard waste or debris is not allowed there; the map's level name says campfires are still allowed. 18 CENTRAL MINNESOTA COUNTIES ARE RESTRICTED: since October 16, 2026, Aitkin, Anoka, Benton, Cass (southern unit), Chisago, Crow Wing, Hennepin, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Ramsey, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Washington and Wright counties have been at "Restricted - Agency Approved Permits Only", so in those counties burning permits are limited to agency-approved permits and you should not plan to burn brush or yard waste on an ordinary permit. The other 66 of the map's 92 county units, including Cook, Lake, both St. Louis County units, northern Cass and Brown, remain at Permits Required: a DNR burning permit is needed before you burn brush or yard waste. No county is at Restricted - Variance Permits Only or at the top level, Elevated Burning Restrictions. The DNR changes these levels county by county, often daily, so check the DNR restrictions map for your county before burning or lighting any fire.
✓ Verified against the official source · October 18, 2026 · Official source ↗
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