Fort Smith has no city-designated Wildfire Hazard Severity Zone. Arkansas has not adopted IFC Chapter 49 (Requirements for Wildland-Urban Interface Areas) or the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code at the state level, and Fort Smith has not adopted them locally. Sebastian County overall wildfire risk is rated low-to-moderate by the USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities tool, although the nearby Ouachita National Forest sees regular prescribed burns.
Unlike California (Government Code Section 51178 and CCR Title 14 Sections 1280.00 et seq.), Oregon, Washington, or other western states, Arkansas does not impose statewide Wildfire Hazard Severity Zone (WHSZ) mapping or formal defensible-space requirements. The Arkansas Fire Prevention Code 2021 (the state's adoption of the 2021 IFC) does not include Chapter 49 (Requirements for Wildland-Urban Interface Areas), and Arkansas has not adopted the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC). Fort Smith's local fire ordinance does not add a wildland-urban interface overlay either, and the Fort Smith Zoning Code (Chapter 27 - Unified Development Ordinance) contains no Hillside or Very High Fire Hazard overlay. The USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities tool rates Sebastian County's overall wildfire risk as low-to-moderate. The nearby Ouachita National Forest, managed by the USDA Forest Service Southern Region, conducts prescribed burns and has active wildfire programs, but those are federal lands outside the City of Fort Smith. Arkansas Department of Agriculture - Forestry Division operates the Arkansas Firewise USA Program, a voluntary community-recognition program rather than a regulatory zone. Property owners in Fort Smith should still observe the city's 6-inch grass-height limit, the open-burning prohibition, the 15-mph wind cutoff for recreational fires, and seasonal Arkansas Forestry burn restrictions during the spring and fall fire seasons. New construction in Fort Smith is permitted under the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code 2021 (which adopts the 2021 IBC and IRC) with no wildfire-specific overlays.
Because there is no adopted WHSZ in Arkansas or Fort Smith, there are no wildfire-zone-specific violations or fines. The underlying open-burning, vegetation-height, and Arkansas Fire Prevention Code requirements are still enforced by the Fort Smith Fire Department and Neighborhood Services, and Arkansas DEQ can assess civil penalties up to $10,000 per day for prohibited open burning under A.C.A. Section 8-4-103. State Forestry burn-season restrictions also apply during high-risk periods.
Fort Smith, AR
Swimming pools in Fort Smith must comply with the 2021 International Residential Code (Appendix G) and the Arkansas Pool Safety Act (A.C.A. 20-26-301 et seq....
Fort Smith, AR
Fort Smith's Chapter 27 UDO lists allowed residential fence materials (wood, metal tubing, wrought iron, stone, masonry, chain link, and listed vinyl/composi...
Fort Smith, AR
Fort Smith's Chapter 27 UDO does not require neighbor consent to build a fence; the owner only needs to stay on their own property and meet the city's height...
Fort Smith, AR
Fort Smith requires a building permit for any fence taller than 6 feet, issued by the Building Safety Division at 623 Garrison Avenue. Shorter fences must st...
Fort Smith, AR
Fort Smith's Unified Development Ordinance (Chapter 27, including Article 27-700 General Standards and Article 27-400 Zoning Districts) generally caps reside...
Fort Smith, AR
Fort Smith's Code of Ordinances does not impose a single fixed numerical cap on household dogs and cats, but Section 4-108 (effective July 17, 2023) requires...
See how Fort Smith's wildfire zones rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.