Outdoor burning rules in El Paso County, 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.
Texas broadly prohibits outdoor burning statewide, with limited exceptions. In unincorporated El Paso County the Commissioners Court can add a drought burn ban, and the arid Chihuahuan Desert climate keeps fire danger high most of the year.
The TCEQ rule at 30 TAC Sec. 111.201 states no person may cause or allow outdoor burning in Texas except as the rule allows. Narrow exceptions cover recreational, cooking and warming fires (Sec. 111.207) and certain on-site disposal burning. All burning must meet the general requirements in 30 TAC Sec. 111.219: at least 300 feet from adjacent structures, downwind, during daylight, and no burning of trash, plastics, tires or treated wood. Separately, Loc. Gov't Code Sec. 352.081 lets the El Paso County Commissioners Court prohibit or restrict outdoor burning for up to 90 days when the Texas A&M Forest Service confirms drought conditions. Given El Paso's desert grass and brush, burn bans are common in dry months.
Illegal outdoor burning can draw TCEQ enforcement and civil penalties; burning during a county burn ban is a Class C misdemeanor (fine up to $500). A fire that escapes can trigger criminal and civil wildfire liability.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how El Paso County's outdoor burning rules stack up against other locations.
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