Bluebonnet Acres Landowners Association

Burn ban info

Outdoor Burning Guidelines from the Fire Department

DISTRIBUTED BY
THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPART MENTS OF SOUTHERN BASTROP COUNTY
3-N-1 VFD, 5 POINTS VFD, 812 VFD, BLUEBONNET VFD AND 969 VFD
OUTDOOR BURNING / CONTROLLED BURNS
This information sheet has been prepared by the Volunteer Fire Departments of Southern Bastrop
County (3-N-1 VFD, 5 Points VFD, Bluebonnet VFD, 812 VFD, and 969 VFD). Our personnel
are often called to scenes of “controlled burns”—fires that have been started in order to dispose of
trash or unwanted brush. More often than not these fires are in violation of State Law, commonly
these fires burn out of control. Grass and brush fires that begin as “controlled burns” destroy
hundreds of thousands of acres in Texas each year, and cause loss of life and millions of dollars
in property damage. Personnel that are called to such a fire are exposed to the serious risks
incurred when responding to, and fighting the fire.
Outdoor burning in Texas is regulated by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
Commission (TNRCC) and various Texas Health and Safety Codes. The information given on
this sheet is based on TNRCC Regulations 30 TAC 111.20 – 111.221, and Texas Health and
Safety Codes 382.083 – 382.087. If you must burn outdoors please comply with these rules and
regulations. Failure to do so can result in very expensive fines.
1. Notify TNRCC Austin Regional Office of your burn by calling 512-339-2929. They can
answer questions that you may have, or mail you an information sheet or copies of the
laws. The Texas Forest Service MUST be notified of any prescribed burns. All burning
must be outside any incorporated city limits unless ordinances meeting the Texas Clean
Air Act have been enacted permitting burning.
2. PLEASE notify the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office in advance of your burn by calling
303-1080. Given your name, address, phone number and the location and time that you
will be burning. You must call EACH day that you burn. This number is not for
emergencies; to report a fire or other emergency dial 911.
3. Burning hours are from 1 hour AFTER sunrise until 1 hour BEFORE sunset. Burning
outside these hours is against the law. No additional material may be added that would
increase the burning past this time.
4. You may burn brush, leaves, and untreated lumber – any natural product generated on
the land. You MAY NOT burn electrical insulation, treated or painted lumber, plastics,
rubber products, shingles, insulation, paints, oils, etc., or any material brought on to the
site.
5. You may not burn on windy days or during dry periods. The wind speed MUST be no
more than 20 mph. During dry periods, the Bastrop County Commissioners’ Court
often declares “no burn” periods during which no outdoor burning is allowed.
6. Your fire must be three-hundred feet from the nearest property that has structure(s)
containing sensitive receptor(s). The immediate area around and above the burn site
should be free of debris, brush, overhanging limbs, and other combustibles. You should
have a hose, shovel and rake nearby, attached to a reliable water source, and the fire
must be tended at all times until it is completely out.
7. A good way to keep the size of your fire under control is to add material to the fire as it
burns rather than stacking up a huge pile of material and setting ablaze.
DISTRIBUTED BY
THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPART MENTS OF SOUTHERN BASTROP COUNTY
3-N-1 VFD, 5 POINTS VFD, 812 VFD, BLUEBONNET VFD AND 969 VFD
8. Your smoke must not obstruct a road, or adversely affect any public road, or landing
strip, vegetation, or property. Smoke particles from wood ash, when combined with
moisture, may form lye (caustic soda) which can destroy painted surfaces and kill plants.
Cinders that land on a damp surface (e.g., house siding, cars, landscape plants) can cause
expensive damage.
9. Texas Law holds the outdoor burner totally responsible for ANY damage that
results from his fire, whether or not in compliance with these regulations.
10. TNRCC Regulations give local fire departments the discretion to determine whether a
fire is in compliance with State Law, and to determine if a fire poses any threat to health
and safety. Violators may be fined up to $25,000 per day per violation, and the TNRCC
is aggressive in enforcement of these laws. All fire departments in Bastrop County report
uncooperative violators. A fire department may be entitled to one-half of any civil
penalties assessed against a violator (V.A.C.S. Article 4477-5, Sections 4.01; 4.02(a)
(part); and 4.04(f).
11. Once called to a scene, the fire department will not share in the liability of an outdoor
burner, and it is department policy to extinguish nearly all fires for which it has received
a complaint, even if TNRCC regulations are being met. If the department does not
extinguish a fire, that shall not be construed as an endorsement of the outdoor burner’s
activity.
12. There are alternatives to outdoor burning. Bastrop and Austin have many trash-hauling
services that can remove up to forty cubic yards of material per trip. Various sizes of
mulchers and chippers can be rented that convert brush into valuable mulch for the
garden or erosion-prone areas.
13. Fire departments can charge for being called to an address of an outdoor burn in noncompliance.
At the department’s discretion, the responsible party may be billed for the
actual cost. Costs for brush fires can easily reach thousands of dollars, so burn with care.
IF YOU MUST BURN OUTDOORS, FOLLOW THESE RULES AND HAVE A
SAFE CONTROLLED BURN!
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU MAY CONTACT:
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission
Austin Regional Office
1921 Cedar Bend Street, Suite 150
Austin, Texas 78757-05336
(512) 339-2929
FAX (512) 339-3795
THE AUSTIN REGIONAL OFFICE COVERS THESE COUNTIES:
BASTROP HAYS
BLANCO LEE
BURNET LLANO
CALDWELL TRAVIS
FAYETTE WILLIAMSON