Johnson County, KS Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Johnson County, KS, 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
- Authority
- BOCC chairperson orders the ban
- Trigger
- Unusual weather or exigent circumstances
- Exception
- Enclosed container with spark arrestor
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine, 30 days jail
- Notice
- Published once in county newspaper
- Area covered
- All unincorporated Johnson County land
Summary
Open burning in unincorporated Johnson County is not banned outright, but the board chairperson can impose a countywide ban whenever fire conditions turn dangerous. Sec. 30-19 lets the chairperson prohibit burning, suspend existing burn permits, and block new ones during unusual weather or other exigent circumstances, with violations punishable by a $500 fine and 30 days in jail.
(a)The chairperson of the board of county commissioners shall be and hereby is authorized to sign and issue a ban upon the open burning of any and all materials, except within an enclosed container equipped with a spark arrestor, throughout the unincorporated areas of the county and to suspend all permits for burning of materials whenever the chairperson, upon consultation with or recommendation of the county fire inspector, concludes or determines that the following factors warrant such action:(1)Unusual weather conditions; or(2)Any other exigent circumstances. ... Sec. 30-24. Any person who violates any provision of this article or an order issued by the chairperson of the board in furtherance thereof, shall be punishable, upon conviction, by a fine in an amount not more than $500.00 and imprisonment in the county jail for a term not more than 30 days.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Resolutions: Supplement 14).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 30-19 gives the chairperson of the board of county commissioners standing authority, after consulting the county fire inspector, to issue an order banning open burning of any material anywhere in unincorporated Johnson County, except inside an enclosed container fitted with a spark arrestor. That order can prohibit anyone from burning material or letting it be burned on their own property, suspend every burn permit already issued in the county, and stop the county from issuing any new burn permits while the ban is active.
Sec. 30-20 requires the order to state its effective date and be published once in the official county newspaper so residents are on notice; a later rescinding order must be published the same way. Under Sec. 30-21, the chairperson can lift a ban once weather or conditions improve or the fire inspector advises it is safe, but if a majority of the fire inspector, the emergency management division coordinator, and the county's fire district chiefs recommend keeping the ban, only a majority vote of the full board of county commissioners can rescind it.
Sec. 30-22 makes clear any such order covers all unincorporated land in the county, and Sec. 30-23 lets the fire inspector, the emergency management coordinator, and fire district chiefs advise the chairperson whenever burning conditions pose a heightened danger. Outside of an active ban order, the article does not itself set year-round burning hours or material restrictions; those specifics are administered through the county's burn permit program referenced in the article rather than spelled out in the resolution text itself.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 30-24 makes violating the open-burning article, or violating a ban order the chairperson has issued under it, punishable upon conviction by a fine of not more than $500.00 and up to 30 days in the county jail. Because the underlying ban orders can prohibit both burning material and permitting it to be burned on one's own property, a property owner can be cited even if someone else lit the fire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can order a burn ban in Johnson County?
Can I still burn anything during a Johnson County burn ban?
How do I know if a burn ban is currently in effect?
What is the penalty for violating a Johnson County burn ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Johnson County
How Johnson County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Johnson County to another location·View the Kansas fire regulations overview
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