Commissioners lift burn ban in unincorporated Harris County

However, outdoor burning is permitted in some instances so long as it follows guidelines established by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

According to HCPHES, authorized burns include:

• Domestic waste, if garbage collection is not provided by a municipality or utility district, however, businesses may not burn domestic waste
• On-site burning of trees, grass, leaves and other plant matter if TCEQ determines there is no other practical alternative
• Burning of crop residue for agricultural management if no practical alternative exists

The three exceptions are prohibited when Harris County commissioners implement a burn ban, per the guidelines. Find more details about outdoor burning in Harris County here.

Before you go

To promote public health and safety, HCPHES noted several alternatives to burning waste, such as:

• Recycling paper, glass, plastics, aluminum and small electronic waste
• Composting waste from landscape maintenance
• Mechanical chipping or mulching of wood and plant products
• Logging cleared trees for lumber, pulp or firewood
• Disposing of waste at designated landfills

To report illegal outdoor burning or answer additional questions, call HCPHES at 713-920-2831.