Midland, TX Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Midland, TX, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Governing rule
- IFC § 307.1.1 open burning prohibition
- Trigger
- objectionable smoke or hazardous conditions
- Enforcement
- fire official may order extinguishment
- Max penalty
- $2,000 fine per day (Sec. 109.3)
Summary
Midland's Fire Code bans open burning, including backyard fire pits, that creates objectionable smoke or turns hazardous under local conditions; the fire marshal can order any noncompliant fire extinguished on the spot.
Section 307.1.1 Prohibited open burning. Open burning that is offensive or objectionable because of smoke emissions or when atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make such fires hazardous shall be prohibited. Section 307.3 Extinguishment authority. The fire code official is authorized to order the extinguishment by the permit holder, another person responsible, or the fire department of open burning that creates or adds to a hazardous or objectionable situation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 1 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Midland adopted the 2015 International Fire Code and locally amended Section 307.1.1: open burning that is offensive or objectionable because of smoke emissions, or that atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make hazardous, is prohibited citywide, a rule that reaches recreational fire pits and chimineas as much as trash burns. Section 307.3 gives the fire code official authority to order the permit holder, another responsible person, or the fire department itself to extinguish any open burning that creates or adds to a hazardous or objectionable situation, with no separate hearing required first.
Violations & Fines
Fire code officials can order immediate extinguishment of any open fire, recreational or otherwise, found offensive, smoky, or hazardous; noncompliance is enforced under the Fire Code's general penalty, up to a $2,000 Class C misdemeanor fine per day (Sec. 109.3).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a fire pit in my backyard in Midland?
Does Midland require a burn permit for a fire pit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Midland
How Midland compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Midland to another location·View the Texas fire regulations overview
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