Air Quality

Allegheny County Air Quality Program

Information regarding Open Burning in Allegheny County:

• Open burning is prohibited except by permit or when it is done in a manner which contributes a negligible amount of air contaminants meaning:
  • No material other than clean wood, propane, or natural gas may be burned except for commercially available fire logs, paraffin logs, or wood pellets.
  • Paper or commercial smokeless fire starters for the purposes of starting a fire.
  • Charcoal for the preparation of food only.
  • Fires may be no larger than 3 feet wide by 3 feet long by 2 feet high.
  • Fires must be at least 15 feet from the nearest neighbor's dwelling or inhabited area including the property line, roadway, sidewalk, or other public access area.
• All wood burning activities are prohibited on Air Quality Action days, with the exception of burning for the commercial preparation of food.
  • Sign up to be notified of Air Quality Action days.
  • Burning may be considered a nuisance due to the severity of the amount of air pollutants, the duration or frequency of the burning, the topography of the surrounding, or the meteorological conditions.
• Remember! Your local municipal ordinances may be equal to or more stringent than Allegheny County Health Department's (ACHD) regulations. Swissvale Borough follows all Allegheny County Guidelines.
• Smokey fire? Nuisance burning? Call ACHD's 24-Hour Complaint Line or submit a complaint online via the Air Quality Complaint Form.
• For more information please visit the ACHD webpage regarding the Air Quality Program and Open Burning.