A burn ban (engl. to burn = to undergo combustion; to ban = to prohibit especially by legal means) prohibits the combustion. Burn bans can have variable attributes such as reason (air pollution, danger of bushfires, ...), location (in a valley, near forests, ...), cause (dry period, low pressure region, ...), material (wood, garbage, liquids, fuel types, ...), purpose (propulsion, heating, ...), exceptions (religious purposes, if it's the only source of heat in the winter, if conducted according to certain EPA requirements, ...), time restriction (permanently, until further notice, ...) and others.
The below German quotes are an environmental dictionary mentioning a burn ban on smoke-generating wood in medieval London, a burn ban in Stuttgart prohibiting the burning of solid and liquid materials that makes it illegal for a family to use a stove they just recently upgraded to meet higher energy efficiency standards, and a German law prohibiting burning garbage at sea.
http://www.umweltlexikon-online.de/RUBluft/Lu...Umweltlexikon-online.de: Luft
"Die historisch ersten Gesetze im Umweltbereich galten der Luftverschmutzung , wie z.B. das Verbrennungsverbot für raucherzeugendes Holz im mittelalterlichen London (Holzverbrennung )."
http://content.stuttgarter-nachrichten.de/stn...Stuttgarter Nachrichten: Viel Rauch um ein Verbrennungsverbot
"Denn per Bebauungsplan gilt Verbrennungsverbot in Schrai-Ost. Das bedeutet, dass alle festen und flüssigen Brennstoffe nicht verbrannt werden dürfen. Dazu gehören Holz, Papier, Kohle, Kohleprodukte und Öl. Einzig Flüssiggas fällt nicht unter das Verbot. Damit dürfen in dem Wohngebiet auch keine offenen Kamine angefeuert werden. 'Hintergrund ist die Kessellage in dem Gebiet. Gerade im Herbst und Winter ist hier häufig Tiefdruck', erklärt Gerhard Metzger, der städtische Bauamtsleiter. [...] "Ich kenne das Gebiet und auch das Verbrennungsverbot", betont er. Im vergangenen Herbst bauten die Bewohner dann einen 12 000 Euro teuren Grundofen ein, für den sie im April 2010 einen Antrag auf Befreiung vom Verbrennungsverbot beantragten. [...] Zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt soll eine Befreiung vom Verbrennungsverbot nicht ausgesprochen werden."
http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hoheseeeinb...HoheSeeEinbrG § 6 Verbrennungsverbot
"Die Verbrennung von Abfällen oder sonstigen Stoffen auf Hoher See ist verboten."
http://www.livinglakecountry.com/kettlemorain...Posted: June 25, 2012
"Effective immediately, all open burning is banned in the Village of Wales, until the dry conditions improve. Grilling is still allowed. For more information, call the Village of Wales at (262) 968-3968 or the Wales-Genesee Fire Department at (262) 968-3301."
http://blog.thenewstribune.com/crime/2013/01/...Stage 2 burn ban issued for Pierce County
"An air quality burn ban went into effect at noon for Pierce, King and Snohomish counties until further notice, according to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. Forecasters expect cold, dry, stagnant weather to last into the week, according to the agency. During a Stage 2 burn ban no burning is allowed in wood-burning fireplaces, wood stoves, fireplace inserts or pellet stoves. The only exception is if a wood stove is the only adequate source of heat for a home. Outdoor fires are also prohibited. Violations can result in a $1,000 penalty. Use of natural gas and propane stoves or inserts is allowed."
http://www.pscleanair.org/airq/burnbanPuget Sound Clean Air Agency
"A burn ban is a mandatory, yet temporary, order that restricts the use of wood stoves and fireplaces, as well as outdoor burning. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency issues an air quality burn ban when the weather trends toward stagnant conditions, such as air inversions, which trap fine particle pollution emitted from our chimneys, cars, trucks, and other activities. Our air quality can deteriorate quickly when the weather doesn't give us the breeze we need to clean away our daily air pollution, which is why taking action to curb burning can help keep our air healthy. [...]"
