Fort Worth, TX Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Fort Worth, TX, 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
- General rule
- open burning banned on any street, alley, lot or premises
- Banned even for
- bonfires and ceremonial fires
- Cooking exception
- manufacturer-approved device, seasoned wood/charcoal only
- Trench burn setback
- 300 ft from structures/property lines
- Outdoor fireplace clearance
- 10 ft from structure
- Penalty
- up to $2,000/offense for life-safety violations
Summary
Fort Worth bans burning combustibles like grass, weeds, rubbish and leaves on any street, alley, lot or premises, including bonfires and ceremonial fires, under Fire Code § 307.1 as amended by City Code § 13-2. Cooking or heating fires in a manufacturer-approved device using only seasoned wood or charcoal, and permitted trench burns, are the only exceptions.
Section 307.1 and 307.1.1 - Delete and replace as follows: 307.1 Open burning. It shall be unlawful to burn or cause to be burned any combustibles including uncut grass, weeds, timber, rubbish, leaves, or other natural or synthetic materials on any street, alley, lot, or premises. Such prohibited fires shall include bonfires and fires used for ceremonial purposes. Any open burning or burning in an approved device that results in atmospheric conditions or local circumstances that make such fires hazardous shall be prohibited. Exceptions: 1. Burning may be conducted for purposes of cooking or heating in a device designated for such purpose by the manufacturer, in accordance with applicable sections of this code. Solid fuel shall be limited to seasoned wood and charcoal. Incinerators shall comply with Section 605.8. 2. When approved by the fire code official, burning with an approved trench burner may be permitted provided a standby firefighter is present if required by the fire code official.
Full Breakdown
1, rewritten locally, makes it unlawful to burn or cause to be burned combustibles including uncut grass, weeds, timber, rubbish, leaves or other natural or synthetic materials on any street, alley, lot or premises, and expressly sweeps in bonfires and ceremonial fires; open burning or device burning that creates hazardous atmospheric or local conditions is prohibited outright. 2 permit, and a special operational permit for a defined time period. 3. 3, with exceptions for one- and two-family homes and sprinklered balconies/decks. 2's commentary also flags that TCEQ guidance and county or local burn bans can independently restrict burning even where the city rule would otherwise permit it.
Violations & Fines
The fire department is authorized under § 307.3 to order extinguishment of open burning or device burning that creates or adds to a hazardous condition. Enforcement runs through § 13-4: violations tied to life safety, which the open-burning ban is, are fined up to $2,000 per offense under § 1-6(c), and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves or brush in my Fort Worth yard?
Is a backyard fire pit legal in Fort Worth?
Are portable fire pits treated differently?
Can I ever get a permit to burn brush in a trench?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Worth
How Fort Worth compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Fort Worth to another location·View the Texas fire regulations overview
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Outdoor Burning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Tarrant County handle outdoor burning.