Shawnee County, KS Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Shawnee County, KS, 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
- Governing law
- Res. No. HR-2025-4, effective Dec. 29, 2025
- Permit issuer
- Fire district with jurisdiction over the burn
- Minimum permit age
- 18 years old
- Setback rule
- 100 ft from structures, 10 ft from property line
- Wind limit
- Must be 5-15 mph, no calm or high wind
- First-offense fine
- Up to $500
- Permit expires
- December 31 each year
Summary
Open burning, including controlled agricultural burns, is unlawful anywhere in unincorporated Shawnee County unless a burn permit is obtained from the local fire district or the burn fits a listed exception like a recreational fire. County Code Sec. 17-22, rewritten by Resolution No. HR-2025-4 on December 29, 2025, also lets the county issue an emergency burn ban that makes any burning a strict-liability violation.
(a)Except as expressly authorized in this article and unless expressly allowed elsewhere in the Shawnee County Code, it shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly initiate, participate in, allow, and/or conduct open burning, including but not limited to controlled burning, in the county.(b)Except as expressly authorized in this article and unless expressly allowed elsewhere in the Shawnee County Code, it shall be unlawful for any person to initiate, participate in, allow, and/or conduct open burning, including but not limited to controlled burning, in the county while a burn ban, issued in accordance with section 17-27 of this article, is in effect. A violation of this subsection is subject to strict or absolute liability and will not require a culpable mental state.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 1).
Full Breakdown
Article II of Chapter 17, entirely rewritten by Resolution No. HR-2025-4 on December 29, 2025, makes open burning, including controlled agricultural burning of "rangeland, pasture land, cultivated crop residue, dried plant growth, grassland, woodland, or stubble," unlawful countywide unless the burner first obtains a burn permit from "the fire district having jurisdiction over the area of the burn" (Sec. 17-23(a)). No one under 18 may hold a permit, and every permit expires December 31 of the year it was issued. Before igniting, the permit holder must call the fire district within one hour of the burn to report the permit number, exact location, materials, timing, and wind conditions (Sec.
17-23(f)). 7 cloud cover and a ceiling under 2,000 feet, and every fire must stay at least 100 feet from any structure, ten feet from any property line, and 1,000 feet from an occupied dwelling absent notice to the occupant. Controlled agricultural burns additionally require a firebreak "of at least 50 feet wide on all sides of the area to be burned" (Sec. 17-25(4)). The county department of emergency management may declare a burn ban countywide or in part of the county "whenever circumstances exist where open burning may jeopardize the safety and/or welfare of the public and/or property" (Sec.
17-27(a)), announced by website, social media, local media, or written notice to fire districts; burning during an active ban is a strict-liability offense regardless of notice received.
Violations & Fines
Violating the article carries escalating fines under Sec. 17-28(g): up to $500 for a first offense, up to $1,000 for a second, and up to $1,500 for a third or later offense, plus mandatory revocation of the offender's burn permit for at least one year, restitution for damage caused, and possible orders to reimburse the county for firefighting and prosecution costs. Fire chiefs, code enforcement officers, and law enforcement may issue cease-and-desist orders and enter property to inspect burns and permits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to burn brush or crop residue in Shawnee County?
What happens if I burn during a county burn ban?
How close to my house can a neighbor burn brush?
What are the penalties for illegal open burning?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shawnee County
How Shawnee County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Shawnee County to another location·View the Kansas fire regulations overview
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