Outdoor burning rules in Sparks, NV — also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance — set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
General open burning is illegal in Sparks; burning trash, yard debris, or using burn barrels is never allowed. Only permitted agricultural burns and compliant recreational fires are exempt. All burning stops on Red Flag and Red air-quality days.
The Sparks Fire Department prohibits general public open burning within the city, with a narrow agricultural exception (only one qualifying parcel remains). Rubbish fires, including burn barrels, yard debris, leaves, weeds, and garbage, are always illegal as a disposal method. Any open burning outside the recreational-fire definition requires a Sparks Fire Department permit, and burning is suspended on Red air-quality days and Red Flag warning days. In unincorporated Washoe County, the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District runs a permit-only burn season (fall through spring) with piles limited to 4 feet in diameter and 6 feet high, burning sunrise to noon.
Illegal open burning is a misdemeanor: up to 6 months in jail and a fine up to $500, plus liability for fire-suppression costs. Escaped fires causing damage can bring felony charges.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Washoe County.
See how Sparks's outdoor burning rules stack up against other locations.
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