You MUST notify your local fire department BEFORE starting any outdoor burning. The non-emergency phone number for reporting planned outdoor burns in the area served by the CE-Bar VFD is 512-263-7390

Please check to see if there is currently a Burn-Ban in Travis County. Click Here

Outdoor burning in Travis County is governed by Title 30 of the Texas Administrative Code, Sections 111.201-111.221. A summary of the rule may be obtained from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), formerly the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission (TNRCC), by calling 512-239-0028.  You can investigate alternatives by reviewing the TCEQ's article Alternatives to Outdoor Burning.

The Travis County Fire Marshall and Sheriff are responsible for enforcing these rules, with the technical assistance of local fire departments. Non-adherence to these rules may result in fines and financial responsibility for any collateral damage. Local government rules may be more stringent than the state regulations on outdoor burning.

In general summary of the Title 30 Code, the state law prohibits outdoor burning except for a few specific cases:

· When no temporary Travis County burn ban has been ordered by local county judges or commissioners, it is legal to have fires for ceremonies, recreation and non-commercial cooking or warmth such as campfires.

• Burning of domestic waste from your personal residence (food waste, paper, brush, etc.) is legal but may not contain any commercial materials.
• Brush from land clearing may be burned when there is no practical alternative but if it is in conjunction with forest management then the TCEQ must be notified.

You may never burn hazardous chemicals or products that may produce a hazard including but not limited to the following materials: electrical insulation, treated lumber, plastics, non-wood construction debris, heavy oils, asphalted materials like tarpaper or roofing, explosive materials, chemical wastes, natural or synthetic rubber. You should always investigate alternatives to outdoor burning by reviewing the TCEQ's article Alternatives to Outdoor Burning.

If you must burn, follow these rules:

1. All controlled burns must be registered with your local fire department, in the CE-Bar VFD district report burns by dialing 512-263-7390.

2. The burn MUST be attended for the entire duration of the burn.

3. Don’t start burning until one hour after sunrise.
4. Keep the burn small, for example, a four-foot square. Feed it slowly.
5. Be sure you have a wide clearance of non-combustible ground on all sides.
6. Have enough water, loose soil, and equipment available that you can extinguish the fire quickly if necessary.
7. Be sure you are downwind of all neighboring residences (or at least 300 feet away).
8. Insure the smoke will not impair visibility on any nearby roadway.
9. Check the local weather forecast (e.g., web, radio or TV) to verify the wind speed is forecasted to be between 6 mph and 23 mph the day of the burn
10. Be sure your fire is dead-out one hour before sunset.