Benton County, AR Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Benton County, 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
- Ban authority
- County judge, by court order
- Before burning
- Call CENCOM with burn details
- Red flag days
- No open burning allowed
- Penalty
- Separate offense per incident
- Exempt
- Grills, campfires, residential barbecues
Summary
The county judge can order an immediate countywide ban on open burning whenever weather and fire conditions turn hazardous, effective the moment the court order and notice go out: no open burning is allowed once a ban is declared.
(a)The county judge may issue a court order of the county court declaring a ban on burning when local circumstances and atmospheric conditions make fires a hazard to the health and safety of citizens and their property. (b)Rescission of the declaration of the ban on burning shall be by an order of the county court. (c)Declaration of the ban on burning or rescission of such a declaration shall be effective immediately upon issuance of the court order and notice of the order. (d)Notice of the court order shall be communicated by the county judge to the news media. News media organizations are requested to promptly provide publication to the citizenry. (e)In any event, the court order declaring the ban on burning shall be in accordance with A.C.A. §§ 12-75-101 -- 12-75-130, as amended. (f)Each incident or violation of the order shall constitute a separate offense notwithstanding the fact that multiple incidents or violations may occur on the same day. (Code 1993, § 34-1; Ord. No. 91-16, arts. I, II, 4-25-1991)
Full Breakdown
Benton County's county judge can declare a ban on outdoor burning by court order whenever local weather and fire-hazard conditions threaten public health or property (Sec. 34-1), and rescinding it likewise takes a court order, effective immediately upon notice to the news media. Separately, anyone planning open burning in the unincorporated county must first call county CENCOM with the address, date, time and type of material to be burned, and no open burning is allowed on days the judge declares a red flag day (Sec. 34-3). Grills, campfires and residential barbecues are exempt from that call-in rule.
Violations & Fines
Burning in violation of a declared ban is a separate offense for each incident, even if multiple violations happen the same day, per Sec. 34-1(f).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who decides when a burn ban is in effect in Benton County?
Do I need to notify anyone before burning outdoors in the county?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Benton County
How Benton County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Benton County to another location·View the Arkansas fire regulations overview
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