Outdoor Burning Rules in Dallas County Can Change Fast

A brush pile in unincorporated Dallas County is not a light-it-and-leave-it chore. Outdoor burning there requires a burn permit, and the daily permit is tied to the specific area you plan to burn. The material has to be dry plant growth natural to that site, not lumber, trash, rubber, petroleum products, or hauled-in brush.

The county's spacing rules are just as practical as they sound. A burn site generally has to sit at least 300 feet from residential, recreational, commercial, or industrial areas, with a fire break, water on hand, and a competent adult at least 18 years old staying with the burn. Burning hours run sunrise to sunset.

Some days are simply no-burn days. Winds expected above 15 mph, an Ozone Action Day for the DFW area, or a Commissioners Court burn ban can stop the burn before it starts. The Fire Marshal's office is in the Records Building at 500 Elm Street, Suite 0500, and TCEQ's outdoor-burning rules still sit underneath all of this. A city ordinance can be stricter than the county rule.