Lawrence, KS Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Lawrence, 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
- Permit required
- Every open fire on public/private ground
- Land-clearing burns
- Air curtain destructor required
- Destructor setback
- 500 feet from any structure
- Neighbor notice
- Occupants within 1,500 feet notified first
- First-offense fine
- Up to $200
Summary
The City of Lawrence requires an operational permit before kindling or maintaining any open fire on public or private ground under amended IFC Section 105.6.32 (Sec. 8-208). Land-clearing burns need an air curtain destructor and require notifying every occupied structure within 1,500 feet before the fire code official will issue the permit.
105.6.32. Open burning. An operational permit is required for the kindling or maintaining of an open fire or a fire on any public street, alley, road, or other public or private ground. Instructions and stipulations of the permit shall be adhered to. ... 307.2. ... Permit required. A permit shall be obtained from the fire code official or designee, in accordance with section 105.6. All open burning for the purpose of land clearing or when otherwise required by the fire code official to protect the health or safety of the public shall be conducted utilizing an air curtain destructor or similar device to reduce the level of combustion products released to the atmosphere. ... Section 307.6. ... Notification. All applicants for permits for open burning for the purpose of land clearing operations shall be required to notify the occupants of all occupied structures within 1,500 feet of the burn site of the intent to burn before a permit will be issued.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 32 to require an operational permit for kindling or maintaining an open fire or a fire on any public street, alley, road, or other public or private ground within the City of Lawrence, and the instructions and stipulations attached to that permit must be followed. Sec. 8-213 layers additional requirements onto land-clearing burns specifically: the fire code official issues the permit under Sec. 6, and all open burning for land clearing, or any burning the official otherwise requires to protect public health or safety, must be conducted using an air curtain destructor or similar device to cut down combustion products released into the air.
Sec. 8-214 requires that air curtain destructor to sit at least 500 feet from any structure, and Sec. 8-215 adds a notice requirement: before a land-clearing burn permit issues, the applicant must notify the occupants of every occupied structure within 1,500 feet of the burn site of the intent to burn. The fire code official, part of Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, administers these permits and can require the air curtain equipment whenever needed to protect public health. Sec. 00 or up to 180 days in jail for a repeat violation within a year.
Violations & Fines
Kindling an open fire on public or private ground in Lawrence without the Sec. 8-208 operational permit, or burning for land clearing without the required air curtain destructor and 1,500-foot notice under Secs. 8-213 through 8-215, is a misdemeanor under the amended IFC Section 110.4 (Sec. 8-211): up to $200.00 for a first offense, rising to $500.00 or 180 days in jail for a repeat violation within a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to burn brush in Lawrence, Kansas?
What extra rules apply to burning for land clearing in Lawrence?
What is the penalty for burning without a permit in Lawrence?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lawrence
How Lawrence compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Lawrence to another location·View the Kansas fire regulations overview
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