Outdoor Burning


By now, everyone knows about the danger of wildfires. In Texas alone, over one million acres of wildland and multiple structures have burned during single seasons, with some of those fires resulting in numerous fatalities. Unfortunately, like most fires, many of these fires were avoidable. Most wildland fires start from two things: improperly discarded smoking materials and "controlled burns" that got out of control. In regards to the smoking material, don´t throw matches or cigarettes out the window of your car. This would greatly help prevent wildland fires.

Warming fires during cold weather and cooking fires are the only fires allowed in the Jollyville area. At times, even those are prohibited secondary to weather conditions. For those who live in Williamson County ESD #1, we CANNOT have controlled burns. Why? Here is a list of the rules that are involved:

  1. Household trash or rubbish, grass, leaves, hedge and branch trimmings from residences are all considered to be "domestic waste". If your local government provides or authorizes a private collector to provide the collection of domestic waste, this type of material may not be burned.
  2. Keep fires downwind of or at least 300 feet away from any neighboring structure that contains sensitive receptors. Examples of sensitive receptors are a residence, business, farm building, or greenhouse.
  3. Campfires, bonfires, and cooking fires are allowed. Fires built under this exception may not contain electrical insulation, treated lumber, plastics, construction or demolition materials not made of wood, heavy oils, asphaltic materials, potentially explosive materials, chemical wastes, or items containing natural or synthetic rubber.
  4. The burning must not cause a nuisance or traffic hazard.

For further information, review the TECQ Outdoor Burning Guidelines.