Wichita, KS Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Wichita, 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
- Hours allowed
- Sunrise to sunset only
- Materials allowed
- Firewood, limbs, wood chips only
- Setback
- 250 ft from property line/structure
- Permit needed
- Yes, from fire code official
- Max fine
- $2,500 + up to 1 year jail
Summary
Wichita bans open burning that's smoky, offensive, or hazardous, and even permitted burns are capped to firewood, limbs, and wood chips.
Open burning that is offensive or objectionable because of smoke or odor emissions or when atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make such fires hazardous, shall be prohibited. The fire code official is authorized to order the extinguishment by the permit holder or by the fire department of open burning that creates or adds to a hazardous or objectionable situation. Open burning shall be conducted between the hours of sunrise to sunset unless otherwise approved by the fire code official. Only firewood, limbs, and wood chips may be burned. Products such as paper, plastic, leaves, finished lumber, and rubbish are not allowed. Only onsite vegetation grown on the permit address can be burned.
Exception: Prescribed burning for the purpose of reducing the impact of wildland fire when authorized by the fire code official.
(Ord. No. 52-878, § 16, 1-13-26)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
The fire code official can order any open fire extinguished if it's creating smoke, odor, or a hazard, and burning is only allowed sunrise to sunset unless the official approves otherwise. Only firewood, limbs, and wood chips can be burned: paper, plastic, leaves, finished lumber, and rubbish are all off-limits, and only vegetation grown on the permit address qualifies. A burn permit is required in the first place under Sec. 15.01.070, and the fire pile must sit at least 250 feet from any property line, structure, or roadway.
Violations & Fines
Violating the fire code carries a misdemeanor fine of $500 to $2,500, up to a year in jail, or both, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves or paper in Wichita?
Do recreational fires need a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wichita
How Wichita compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Wichita to another location·View the Kansas fire regulations overview
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