Burn Bans and Backyard Fire Pits in Covington and St. Tammany Parish

Written by Big Easy Paver Patios

Does a Louisiana Burn Ban Cover Your Fire Pit?

Quick Answer: It depends on the wording of the burn ban order in effect on the day you want to use your fire pit. In Louisiana, a statewide burn ban comes as an order, and the order lists what it covers. The statewide order issued on August 7, 2023 stopped private burning, but its announcement said “the use of barbeque grills, fire pits, and small campfires for brief, recreational purposes are allowed and not affected by the burn ban.” The next order could say something different, and a parish or fire district can put out its own notice. For a Covington backyard, the answer always comes from the current order, not last year’s.

This post is general information for homeowners, not legal advice. The agency that issued an order has the final word on what it covers.

Who Issues Burn Bans in Louisiana?

According to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF), the LDAF commissioner and the State Fire Marshal issued “a statewide cease and desist order for all private burning, pursuant to authority under R.S. 40:1602.” The order took effect at 5 p.m. on August 7, 2023 and was set to “remain in effect until rescinded.” The announcement also said private burning would only be allowed with permission from the local fire department or local government, and that violating the Fire Marshal order could bring criminal or civil penalties.

Local government has a voice too. On November 17, 2023, St. Tammany Parish government announced that the parish was opting out of the statewide burn ban, with support from local fire districts, after recent rain lowered the fire risk. The same notice said burning was now allowed in most of unincorporated St. Tammany, and that burning was not allowed within most municipalities.

St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District No. 4 lists a response area that includes the City of Mandeville, and the Madisonville Fire Department runs under St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District No. 2. If you live in or around Covington, find out which district covers your address. Call that district with questions about burning at your house.

What Do Louisiana Air Rules Say About Recreational Fires?

Even with no ban in place, a backyard fire has rules. Louisiana’s outdoor burning regulation, LAC 33:III.1109, lists situations where outdoor burning may happen, including “outdoor burning in connection with the preparation of food” and “campfires and fires used solely for recreational purposes or for ceremonial occasions.” Those exceptions only apply if no public nuisance is created and the burning follows other laws, along with the orders of governments that have jurisdiction. In plain terms, a burn ban order or a local rule can still stop a fire the state regulation would otherwise allow.

The City of Mandeville’s code uses the same two exceptions for cooking and recreational fires in its outdoor burning section, Sec. 8-7, with the same condition about nuisances and other orders.

Is a Fire Pit the Same as Burning Yard Debris?

No. St. Tammany Parish’s residential open burning ordinance, as summarized by the Madisonville Fire Department, covers burning leaves and yard debris “such as pine needles, pine cones, shrubs, brush and cut timber,” and it sets conditions like these:

• a fire area no larger than 8 feet in diameter, with burning material no taller than 4 feet
• burning only between sunrise and one hour before sunset
• someone attending the fire at all times, with a working water hose next to it
• at least 10 feet from the nearest property line
• at least 50 feet from any structure, or inside a container if it’s closer than that
• no more than one fire site per home site

The parish code also prohibits yard debris burning outright on any lot under 12,600 square feet in a parish-approved subdivision, and in certain areas the ordinance describes.

The same page warns that following the parish ordinance doesn’t protect you from state air quality fines, and that its summary is not a burn permit. A patio fire pit is built for a small recreational fire. Clearing a yard’s worth of debris is a different activity under different rules, so don’t treat one as permission for the other.

Where Should Covington Homeowners Check the Current Burn Ban Status?

Burn bans start and end with the weather, so check each time conditions turn dry. We’d look in this order:

1. The state. Find the latest LDAF or State Fire Marshal release about any statewide order, and read its exemptions line word for word.
2. The parish. St. Tammany Parish government posts notices when the parish opts in or out, as it did in November 2023.
3. Your fire protection district. The district that serves your address can tell you how it reads the current order and whether it has added anything.
4. Your city or neighborhood. Inside Covington city limits, or in a subdivision with its own rules, ask about local limits on top of the parish’s.

If the order in effect is unclear, hold off on lighting a fire until you’ve heard back. Our Covington service area page covers the rest of what we build on the Northshore.

Gas or Wood: Does Fuel Change the Answer?

The August 7, 2023 announcement didn’t sort fire features by fuel. It named uses, such as fire pits and small campfires for brief, recreational purposes. A future order could mention fuel type, so don’t assume a gas fire pit is always exempt or that a wood-burning one is always banned.

Fuel still matters day to day. A gas fire feature shuts off with a valve and doesn’t throw embers, which counts for a lot under tall pines. A wood fire pit gives you the crackle and the smell, and it needs more attention to sparks and ashes. Our post on fire pits and outdoor fireplaces compares the two in more detail.

How Do You Design a Fire Pit Patio for Burn Ban Season?

A burn ban lasts weeks or months. The patio stays for years, so plan for both.

• Give the space a use without fire. Seating and shade keep the patio useful when the pit sits cold. An outdoor kitchen in Covington is another option, since the August 7, 2023 announcement named grills separately from open burning.
• Keep clearance from the house and trees. Ask your fire district what clearance it expects for your setup instead of guessing a number.
• Build on a noncombustible surface. Pavers around a fire pit don’t burn, and they can be lifted and reset if the area settles.
• Plan for water. A hose bib within easy reach makes it simple to put a fire out completely.

Our crews build fire features into paver patios in Covington and plan the seating and drainage along with them. For layout ideas beyond the fire pit, see backyard patio ideas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my fire pit during a Louisiana burn ban?

Only if the order in effect allows it. The August 2023 statewide order allowed fire pits for brief, recreational use, but every order sets its own terms. Read the current one, and check with your parish and fire district.

Does St. Tammany Parish always follow a statewide burn ban?

Not always. In November 2023 the parish opted out of the statewide ban with support from local fire districts. Whether the parish is in or out at a given time is something to check, not assume.

Who enforces a burn ban?

For the 2023 statewide order, LDAF said violating the Fire Marshal order could bring criminal or civil penalties. Your fire district and parish can tell you how enforcement works where you live.

Plan a Fire Pit Patio for Covington

We’ll help you place a fire feature where it’s easy to enjoy on a cool evening and simple to leave cold when conditions turn dry.

See our fire pits and fireplaces in Covington and fire pits and fireplaces in Mandeville. For Madisonville, see fire pits in Madisonville, or call (504) 688-4244 for a free estimate.