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.
Fort Worth Code Chapter 13 adopts the 2021 International Fire Code, which generally prohibits open burning of refuse and yard waste inside city limits. The Fire Marshal may also impose temporary burn bans during drought.
Chapter 13 of the Fort Worth Code (Fire Prevention and Protection) adopts the 2021 IFC as the city's fire code, with local amendments under Sec. 13-2. Open burning of yard waste, trash, or other refuse is prohibited inside city limits except for approved recreational fires in compliant containers and small cooking fires. Trench burning, where allowed elsewhere, must occur at least 300 feet from any structure and 300 feet from any property line, with a 50-foot vegetation firebreak. The Fire Department may order any open burning extinguished if it creates a hazardous condition. County-wide burn bans declared by Tarrant County also apply.
Violations of Chapter 13 and the adopted IFC are Class C misdemeanors. The Fort Worth Fire Marshal may also issue stop-work / extinguishment orders and recover costs of fire suppression for unlawful burns.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Tarrant County.
See how other cities in Tarrant County handle outdoor burning.
See how Fort Worth's outdoor burning rules stack up against other locations.
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