Leander, TX Fire Regulations: Fire Pit Rules (2026)

Leander prohibits outdoor burning inside the city. Ordinance Number 13-038-00, codified as Article 5.05 of Chapter 5 (Fire Prevention and Protection), makes outdoor burning illegal within the city limits without authorization. The city's published outdoor burning rules state that outdoor cooking on private property must be done in a covered grill or smoker designed to protect against the spread of fire, distinguishing contained cooking appliances from open recreational fires. Open burning options such as campfires, bonfires and cooking fires are described as available only outside the city limits, in unincorporated Williamson or Travis County, and only when no burn ban is in effect and the fire department has given proper authorization. Where county burning is allowed, the published procedures call for starting one hour after sunrise, keeping the fire no larger than a four-foot square, maintaining a 300-foot minimum distance from sensitive receptors such as people, livestock and nursery plants, burning only with wind speeds of 6-23 mph, extinguishing one hour before sunset, and keeping water and equipment on hand. Inside Leander, residents who want a backyard fire feature should rely on contained gas or covered cooking appliances rather than open pits, and confirm specifics with the Leander Fire Marshal.