Fort Bend County enforces TCEQ outdoor burning rules and the county Fire Code, with Commissioners Court burn bans triggered during drought conditions.
Outdoor burning is allowed only outside city limits and only when wind and weather will not push smoke onto roads or off-site structures. Fires must be at least 300 feet downwind of neighboring structures, must start no earlier than one hour after sunrise, and end no later than one hour before sunset on the same day. Burning electrical insulation, treated lumber, plastics, rubber, asphaltic materials, or household garbage is always prohibited. The Commissioners Court adopts burn ban orders during drought, prohibiting most open burning except properly contained recreational fires.
Burn-ban violations and prohibited burning are Class C misdemeanors in Texas, with fines up to $500 per occurrence. TCEQ may pursue separate civil penalties for air-quality violations.
See how other cities in Fort Bend County handle outdoor burning.
See how Stafford's outdoor burning rules stack up against other locations.
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