Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management · Thursday, October 15, 2026
What a legal burn still has to follow
No county ban does not mean every fire is allowed. TCEQ’s outdoor-burning rule still applies.
This is a plain-language summary of public guidance. It is not the TCEQ rule and it is not a county order.
When no burn ban is in effect, a campfire, cooking fire, or brush pile can still be illegal if it breaks the state’s outdoor-burning rule. ESD No. 2 tells residents to burn natural material from that property, stay well away from buildings, keep a way to put the fire out, and have it cold before sunset. Trash, tires, treated lumber, shingles, and chemicals are not yard waste.
If a neighbor’s smoke becomes a complaint, the fire can be ordered out. If it escapes, call 911.
Read the county burning page and the ESD No. 2 notes before you start.