Can You Legally Burn a Brush Pile in Franklin County?
Usually yes on your own property, but Kentucky’s Fall Forest Fire Hazard Season (October 1 – December 15) restricts daytime burning near woodland, and a separate ozone-season ban runs May through September.
Every fall we get calls from Frankfort homeowners staring at a brush pile from a tree removal or storm cleanup, weighing whether to burn it or pay to haul it. The honest answer is that state rules make burning more restricted than most people expect, and the restrictions get stricter, not looser, right as the weather turns cool enough to make burning tempting.
Kentucky’s Fall Fire Season Rules
During the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Fall Forest Fire Hazard Season, it’s illegal to burn anything within 150 feet of woodland or brushland between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Burning is only allowed 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. where local ordinances permit it, since wind and humidity are usually lower overnight. Franklin County can also layer on stricter local rules or require a permit before you strike a match, so a call to the county before burning is worth the two minutes.
When Hauling Beats Burning
- Storm cleanup or a full tree removal usually generates more volume than a backyard pile can safely handle in one burn
- Many Frankfort subdivisions and HOAs prohibit open burning outright, regardless of state season rules
- Waiting on the right burn window (dry day, low wind, after 6 p.m., in season) can leave a hazard pile sitting in the yard for weeks
- A burn that gets away from you or draws a fire department response carries real liability — hauling doesn’t
Most of the time, brush and limb hauling from a tree removal gets bundled into the removal quote rather than priced separately. Where it stands alone — a pile from DIY trimming, no removal involved — it typically falls in the same $150–$500 small-job range already established for our smallest tree jobs, scaled to the size of the pile. If the pile came from storm damage, cleanup and hauling are usually quoted together on the same visit.
Our brush clearing and hauling crew can take a pile away the same week, no burn permit, no waiting on a legal burn window, and no risk to your property or a neighbor’s.
Common Questions
Do I need a permit to burn brush in Franklin County, KY?
Check with Franklin County first — local ordinances can require a permit and can be stricter than the state’s fall and ozone-season rules, which set the outer limits but don’t override local law.
What happens if I burn brush illegally in Kentucky?
An illegal or unattended burn can draw a fire department response, a fine, and liability if it spreads to a neighbor’s property or requires suppression resources — the state’s open burning rules exist because escaped debris fires are a real fall wildfire cause.
Is it cheaper to burn brush than pay for hauling?
On a small pile, maybe, if you’re already legally clear to burn. On a full tree-removal or storm pile, hauling bundled into the job quote is usually faster and carries none of the permit, timing, or liability constraints a legal burn requires.
Last updated: September 21, 2026