Conway, AR Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Conway, AR, also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance, set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Key Facts
- Citywide waste burning
- Banned outright, Section 5.08.06
- Brush/lumber permit
- Free, from Conway Fire Department
- Permit lead time
- At least 3 days before burn
- Allowed hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. only
- Distance from structures
- 50 feet minimum
- Max pile count
- Two manageable piles at a time
- Violation fine
- $21 to $50 per offense
Summary
In the City of Conway, Arkansas, burning trash, garbage or waste is banned outright because the city runs its own landfill. Land developers and builders may burn brush and scrap lumber only under a free Conway Fire Department permit with strict daytime and distance limits.
5.08.06 - Burning. (a)No person shall burn trash, garbage or other types of waste material in any manner whatsoever within the city limits because of the existence of a city owned and operated approved land fill, except as provided in Section 5.08.10. ... 5.08.10 - Exceptions. ... A.No burning is allowed on public grounds.B.Burn piles must be fifty (50) feet or more from any structure or potential fire hazard.C.Burning will be allowed only between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. unless given prior approval by the Conway Fire Department Fire Marshall. ... G.A hose or heavy equipment used to control the fire must be on site.
Full Breakdown
Section 5.08.06 of the Conway Municipal Code bars anyone from burning trash, garbage or other waste material anywhere in the city, citing the existence of the city-owned landfill as the reason no one needs to burn refuse. The only way around the ban is the exception carved out at Section 5.08.10, which lets land developers and builders burn brush and scrap lumber under nine conditions: no burning on public grounds, piles kept at least 50 feet from any structure or fire hazard, burning limited to 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. unless the Fire Marshal approves otherwise, no burning of petroleum products, construction remnants, leaves, grass clippings or pine needles, no more than two manageable piles at a time, a responsible adult present throughout, a hose or heavy equipment on site to control the fire, and no material trucked in from other job sites.
Smoke or odor that becomes offensive gets the fire extinguished on the spot, and the person who applied for the burn assumes all liability for damage it causes. Section 5.08.11 requires a Conway Fire Department permit at least three days before the burn date, issued free of charge. Incinerator burning by businesses and individuals is allowed only if the incinerator meets the Arkansas Air Pollution Control Code administered by the state Department of Pollution Control and Ecology.
Violations & Fines
Section 5.08.09 sets the fine for violating the Section 5.08.10 exception conditions at not less than $21 and not more than $50 for each offense. Burning without first obtaining the Conway Fire Department permit required under Section 5.08.11, burning outside the 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. window without Fire Marshal approval, or burning prohibited materials all forfeit the exception and expose the burner to the flat citywide ban in Section 5.08.06.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn yard trash in my Conway backyard?
Do I need a permit to burn brush in Conway?
What can't be burned even under the exception?
What happens if my permitted burn produces heavy smoke?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Conway
How Conway compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Conway to another location·View the Arkansas fire regulations overview
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