Harlingen, TX Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)

Harlingen's Code bans outdoor burning citywide without a fire department permit, but § 20-3(b) exempts campfires, ceremonial fires, and warming fires from the permit itself if the fire chief or a designated representative gives prior approval. That exemption only waives the paperwork: the general burn rules still apply: keep the fire at least 300 feet from any occupied structure on a neighboring lot (50 feet with the neighbor's notarized written consent), keep an adult supervisor on site until the ashes are cool, and burn only between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Noncommercial backyard grilling needs neither a permit nor prior approval.