Springdale, AR Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

Springdale sits in the Ozark Plateau in Northwest Arkansas, and the broader region carries seasonal wildfire risk, particularly during the Arkansas Department of Agriculture's spring and fall fire seasons when Washington and Benton county judges frequently issue burn bans. However, neither Arkansas nor Springdale has adopted a formal Wildfire Hazard Severity Zone (WHSZ) system or California-style defensible-space mandate (Government Code 51178 / 4291). Instead, fuel vegetation is regulated through the Springdale Code of Ordinances nuisance provisions (Chapter 42 - Environment, with related landscape provisions in Chapter 56). The Springdale City Council clarified its lawn-mowing rules in 2018 to require that grass and weeds on residential property not exceed 8 inches in height, and that weeds and plants within 12 feet of property adjacent to a subdivision or road not exceed 12 inches. Enforcement is handled by Springdale Code Enforcement (201 Spring Street; 479-750-8154), which inspects on complaint and posts a warning at the property giving 7 days to abate before further action. Railroad rights-of-way, utility easements, and vacant lots are also subject to the height limits. Limited agricultural-use and cultivated-landscape exemptions apply. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture - Forestry Division separately operates the Arkansas Firewise USA Program, encouraging voluntary defensible space - 'lean, clean, and green' - around homes near wildland. Burning of brush, leaves, or other vegetation cleared from a lot inside Springdale requires a Burn Permit from the Springdale Fire Marshal and is prohibited during any active Washington County or Benton County burn ban.