Burn Season Calendar by Region

Southeast (GA, NC, SC, FL, VA, TN, AL, MS)

The Southeast has two primary burning windows driven by dry spells in an otherwise humid climate:

• Best burning window: Late fall and early winter (November–January) after leaf-fall and before spring dry conditions. Humidity is moderate, fire danger is low.
• Spring window: Late February–March in lower-elevation areas, but this overlaps with mandatory permit periods (Feb 15–Apr 30 in VA, TN, KY) when rules tighten.
• Avoid: March–April during drought years — this is the Southeast's highest wildfire risk period. Also avoid summer when thunderstorms can reignite fires.
• Georgia-specific: Year-round burning is possible with daily GFC permits, but very high fire danger in March–April suspends permits frequently.

Northeast (NY, PA, NJ, CT, MA, RI, VT, NH, ME)

The Northeast's primary burning challenge is spring dry conditions when snow melts but vegetation hasn't greened up:

• Best burning window: Late fall (October–November) after leaf drop but before ground freeze. Also summer (June–August) in humid years when fire danger is naturally low.
• Avoid: April–May — the classic Northeast wildfire window when dry winters leave cured dead vegetation. Most Northeast states have elevated enforcement during this period.
• New Jersey and Connecticut: So densely populated that outdoor burning is largely prohibited except in limited rural areas.

Midwest (OH, MI, IN, IL, WI, MN, IA, MO)

• Best burning window: Fall (October–November) and spring (March, early April). Winter burning is possible when ground is snow-covered and fire can't spread.
• Avoid: April–May (spring dry season) and late summer during drought. Michigan's mandatory permit period (April 1–May 31) coincides with the riskiest window.
• Illinois: Largely prohibits open burning statewide — this region has the most restrictive midwestern rules.

Great Plains & Central (TX, OK, KS, NE, ND, SD)

• Best burning window: Spring (March–April) for range management — this is prime prescribed burn season across the Great Plains. Fall burning also common.
• Avoid: Summer drought periods and when high winds are persistent. Texas and Oklahoma face dramatic fire seasons when drought combines with wind.
• County burn bans: Track Texas A&M Forest Service and Oklahoma Forestry Services ban maps — dozens of counties can be under simultaneous bans during drought years.

Mountain West (CO, UT, WY, NM, AZ, NV, ID, MT)

• Best burning window: Late fall (October–November) after early snows and before deep freeze. Brief spring windows (April) at lower elevations.
• Avoid: May–September — the Rocky Mountain fire season, when burning is essentially prohibited across most of the region. This window has been expanding year over year with climate shifts.
• Elevation matters: Higher elevations green up later and dry out later — a mid-June burn might be possible at 3,000 feet but completely banned at 7,000 feet.

Pacific Coast (CA, OR, WA)

• Best burning window: Western (wet) side: November–March when regular rain keeps fire danger low. Eastern (dry) side: a brief spring window (March–April) if conditions allow.
• Avoid: May–October — Pacific fire season is severe and extends nearly year-round in California. Summer burning is essentially prohibited everywhere on the Pacific Coast.
• California: CAL FIRE annual permit expires April 30, and burn day designations from air districts limit actual burning to specific days. Practical burning window in many CA regions is December–February.

Frequently Asked Questions