With the dry and humid conditions, outdoor fires in Dallas County can quickly get out of control, causing millions of damage and endangering human lives.
To prevent a devasting fire, take precautions. The Dallas County Fire Marshal has several requirements for outdoor burning for residents to follow to prevent uncontrollable fires.
The fire marshal’s department stresses that any burning cannot create a “nuisance or traffic hazard, and you must comply with all applicable local rules or ordinances.”
While there are many rules for outdoor burning, here are the top three from the fire marshal’s department.
- You may not burn in the unincorporated area of Dallas County unless you have been issued a burn permit.
- A daily burn permit must be obtained by submitting a burn permit application for the specific area you wish to burn to the Dallas County Fire Marshal’s Office.
- Only dry plant growth natural to the burn site can be burned.
The county fire marshal recommends these general requirements for allowable outdoor burning:
- The party responsible for the burn must be present and remains liable for damages, injuries, or other consequences that may result from burning.
- Begin burning no earlier than one hour after sunrise, end it the same day, and no later than one hour before sunset.
- Do not burn electrical insulation, treated lumber, plastics, non-wood construction/demolition materials, heavy oils, asphaltic materials, potentially explosive materials, chemical wastes, and items containing natural or synthetic rubber.
No Burn Days are declared when the wind is expected to exceed 15mph, the DFW area issues an Ozone Action Day, or the Burn Ban is enacted.
A Burn Ban is an emergency declaration “submitted through recommendations by the County Fire Marshal, Forest Service, and Weather Service that prohibits any outdoor burning or open flame during special times of drought or extreme weather conditions.”
Before outdoor burning, contact the fire marshal’s office at 214-653-7970 to ensure you have met all the requirements and are not violating any guidelines or regulations.
