Burning Land Clearing Debris in Nassau County, FL
Burning brush and stumps from land clearing in Nassau County is allowed, but it's one of the most regulated parts of the job. Land-clearing piles need a Florida Forest Service authorization and sit hundreds of feet from other people's homes, and inside the Town of Callahan the town has to sign off too. Yard waste follows lighter rules. Here's which set applies to your pile, the setbacks and hours, how to get the authorization around Callahan, Hilliard and Bryceville, and what to do when burning won't work.
Which rules apply to your pile?
The setbacks below are from state rules 5I-2.006 and 62-256.700, checked October 2026.
| Your pile | FFS authorization? | Main setbacks |
|---|---|---|
| Yard waste from your home, pile under 8 feet across | No | 25 ft from woods and your house, 50 ft from paved public roads, 150 ft from other occupied buildings |
| Any pile over 8 feet across | Yes | Ask the local FFS field unit |
| Land clearing for a home of up to two family units, and farm or forestry piles | Yes | 300 ft from occupied buildings other than yours, 100 ft from paved public roads, 50 ft from woods, brush and combustible structures |
| Other land clearing, without an air curtain incinerator | Yes | 1,000 ft from occupied buildings, 100 ft from paved public roads, 100 ft from woods, brush and combustible structures |
| Air curtain incinerator | Yes | 300 ft from occupied buildings, 50 ft from woods, brush, combustible structures and paved public roads |
For pile burning, rule 5I-2.006(4)(e) grants an exception to the 300- and 1,000-foot setbacks "if all of the affected parties agree in writing to allow the burn to take place." Otherwise, the FDEP's open burning page says land-clearing burns that can't meet the requirements "shall be conducted using an ACI" (an air curtain incinerator), or the debris has to go another way.
Getting a Florida Forest Service authorization
The FFS burn authorization page lists agricultural, silvicultural, land clearing, pile and acreage burning as activities that need one, and says to read the steps and "then contact your local Florida Forest Service field unit." The FFS's authorization steps say to call on the day you want to burn. A new customer gives a name, mailing address and phone number to get a customer number, and describes the burn location by section, township and range or by latitude and longitude.
- Burn authorization line: (904) 266-8351, the FFS Jacksonville District, which serves Nassau County from its office at 7247 Big Oaks Road in Bryceville.
- Questions about burning debris safely: the Nassau County Forest Area Supervisor, (904) 845-7121.
For burners who aren't certified, authorizations for pile burning are issued for one day only.
The conditions that come with it
- Hours. Ignition starts at 9:00 a.m. Eastern unless the FFS approves earlier. Burners who aren't certified must be done one hour before sunset; certified pile burners have until one hour after sunset, except in smoke-sensitive areas.
- Attended at all times. Someone stays with the fire until it's out.
- Burned where it grew. Land-clearing debris may be burned only on the site where it was generated, unless it goes through a compliant air curtain incinerator.
- Not forever. Burning on the same site can't run more than 6 months from the first authorization.
- Clean vegetation only. The FFS says it's illegal to burn household garbage, including paper products, treated lumber, plastics, rubber, tires, pesticide, paint and aerosol containers.
The FFS's "Know the Law" brochure adds a warning worth taking seriously: if a fire escapes, "you may be liable for costs of suppression and damage to the property of others."
Inside the Town of Callahan
Callahan's Chapter 78 adds its own layer. No bonfire or rubbish fire without a permit from the Fire Chief or the Chief's written designee, and land-clearing burns must be "Authorized by the Town of Callahan" and comply with state law, on top of the FFS authorization.
- Land clearing for a home: 300 feet from any occupied building. Other land clearing: 1,000 feet without an air curtain incinerator, 300 feet with one. 100 feet from a public road, with the wind carrying smoke away from it.
- Lit after 9:00 a.m., out one hour before sunset, attended at all times, and no night burning.
- No tires, rubber, asphalt, roofing material, tar or similar materials.
- Yard trash: 100 feet from occupied buildings other than your own, 50 feet from a home on the same property and from a public road, 25 feet from woods or brush, and no garbage. The state's later yard waste rule uses 150 feet from other occupied buildings, so check with the town before relying on 100.
- The Mayor can prohibit open burning when conditions make it hazardous.
Call the town at (904) 879-3801 to find out how to reach the Fire Chief for a permit.
Hilliard and the unincorporated county
Hilliard's town code has no separate burning section, so the state rules apply; check with Town Hall, (904) 845-3555, before burning in town. In unincorporated Nassau County, including Bryceville and the rural land around Yulee, the state rules above apply, and the county can declare a burn ban. Check before you burn.
When burning isn't the answer
- Mulch it in place. Forestry mulching leaves nothing to burn and works in any season.
- Grind it. Piles and stumps can be ground and spread or hauled.
- Haul it. The cleanest option, though trucking and dump fees add up.
- An air curtain incinerator, which needs its own FFS authorization and setbacks.
- Leave windrows on timber land that's going back to pines. See clearing after logging.
On a house lot with neighbors nearby, the 300-foot setback alone can rule out burning, so settle the debris plan before clearing a house site starts.
Burning questions
Do I need an authorization for a small brush pile?
Not for yard waste from your own home burned in a pile under 8 feet across, as long as you meet the setbacks and hours. Land-clearing debris is different, and so is any pile over 8 feet across. Inside Callahan, the town's rules also apply.
Can my contractor do the burning?
Yes. The state's definition of a residential pile burning operation covers one "conducted by a landowner or an individual contracted by the landowner." Put in writing who gets the authorization and who stays with the fire.
Can I haul brush from another property and burn it here?
No. Land-clearing debris may be burned only on the site where it was generated, unless it goes through an air curtain incinerator.
My neighbor's house is closer than 300 feet. Now what?
The rule grants an exception if every affected party agrees in writing. Otherwise, use an air curtain incinerator, or mulch, grind or haul the debris.
How we help
Give us a rough idea of how much brush and stump debris to expect, and whether you lean toward burning, mulching or hauling it. We pass your request along to one independent contractor working in western Nassau County. They walk the land and give you a written quote, and you decide. There's no charge for the referral. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Want a local contractor to walk your land?
Call or send a short request. There's no charge for the referral.