Temple, TX Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Temple, 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.
Key Facts
- General rule
- Outdoor burning of debris is banned
- Recreational fire size
- Max 3 ft wide, 2 ft tall
- Burn ban override
- No burning during City/County burn ban
- Permit needed for
- Land-clearing, crop residue, fire training
- Max fine
- $500 (up to $2,000 with intent)
Summary
Temple bans burning trash, brush, and debris outdoors citywide, allowing only permitted recreational fires or permit-based land-clearing burns, and shuts down even those whenever the City or Bell County declares a burn ban.
Unless otherwise provided by this Section, it is unlawful for any person to burn outdoors any material, including trash, brush, tree limbs, grass, trees, leaves, paper, boards, planks, lumber, or any other type of debris or combustible materials of any kind within the territorial limits of the City. ... No person may burn within the City when there is a burn ban in effect for the City or Bell County.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Reformat).
Full Breakdown
Temple's Fire Marshal enforces a blanket ban on burning trash, brush, tree limbs, and other debris anywhere in the city. Recreational or ceremonial fires, cooking fires, and warming fires are allowed without a permit if kept under 3 feet wide and 2 feet tall in a screened burn container, 20 feet from structures, attended by someone 13 or older, extinguished by midnight, and not lit when winds top 20 mph. Land-clearing, crop-residue, fire-training, and City/County burns need a Fire Marshal permit and TCEQ authorization. No burning of any kind, permitted or not, is allowed while a City or Bell County burn ban is active.
Violations & Fines
Burning without a required permit that triggers an emergency response is a Class C misdemeanor, fined up to $500 (up to $2,000 with proof of culpable intent); each day is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a backyard fire pit in Temple?
Does a Bell County burn ban stop backyard fires too?
What can't I ever burn in Temple, even with a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Temple
How Temple compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Temple to another location·View the Texas fire regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Outdoor Burning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Bell County handle outdoor burning.