Nearly half of Texas is under a county burn ban heading into the Thanksgiving season. As of the morning of Nov. 10, 118 of the state’s 254 counties had bans in effect, according to the list maintained by the Texas A&M Forest Service.
The list includes some of the state’s most populous counties, among them Harris, Bexar, Fort Bend, Galveston, El Paso and Hidalgo.
Where bans are in place
Bans stretch across most regions of the state, according to the Forest Service list. Counties under bans include:
- Greater Houston and the coast: Harris, Fort Bend, Galveston, Brazoria, Chambers and Matagorda.
- San Antonio area: Bexar, Guadalupe, Wilson, Medina and Atascosa.
- North Texas: Ellis, Rockwall, Parker and Wise.
- Panhandle and West Texas: Potter and Randall in the Amarillo area, Taylor in Abilene, Tom Green in San Angelo, and El Paso.
- East Texas: Angelina, Nacogdoches, Harrison, Jasper, Newton, Orange and Polk.
- South Texas and the border: Hidalgo, Starr, Webb and Zapata.
Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, Williamson and Lubbock counties were not on the list as of Nov. 10.
Travis County lifted its ban for unincorporated areas on Nov. 3. Travis County Fire Marshal Gary Howell said in announcing the change that conditions had improved but outdoor burning “still carries risks,” FOX 7 Austin reported.
What a burn ban means
County commissioners courts issue burn bans, and each county’s order spells out what is restricted and what, if anything, is exempt. Many orders allow cooking in enclosed grills, but the details vary, so check your own county’s order.
Knowingly violating a county burn ban is a Class C misdemeanor under the Texas Local Government Code, according to the Texas Association of Counties. A Class C misdemeanor carries a fine of up to $500.
State rules apply even without a ban
Outdoor burning is also governed by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality rules year-round. A Texas A&M AgriLife Extension guide to those rules explains several key limits:
- Household trash burning is allowed only where local government does not provide or authorize garbage collection, and only for waste from that property.
- Tires, treated lumber, plastics, furniture, carpet, electrical wire and non-wood construction debris may not be burned.
- Burns should start no earlier than one hour after sunrise and end at least one hour before sunset, with someone watching the fire.
- Do not start a burn if winds are forecast below 6 mph or above 23 mph.
- Burning is generally not allowed inside city limits unless a local ordinance permits it.
The AgriLife guide also notes that following the rules does not shield a person from liability if a fire escapes and causes damage.
What to know
- Check before you burn: Bans are added and lifted often. Check the Texas A&M Forest Service burn ban map or call your county fire marshal or sheriff’s office the day you plan to burn.
- Watch the wind: Dry, gusty days behind cold fronts are common in late fall and can spread fire quickly through dormant grass.
- Keep tools close: Have a water source, a shovel and a phone nearby whenever you burn.
