Oklahoma burn bans › Burning rules

Oklahoma outdoor burning rules

Even when no burn ban is in effect, outdoor burning in Oklahoma is regulated. A burn ban is an additional restriction layered on top of the rules that always apply.

Before you burn anything

• Check your county's current burn ban status. Find your county — status is refreshed daily.
• Call your county fire marshal or sheriff's office. Orders can change faster than any statewide dataset updates, and the county is the authority on its own order.
• Check whether you need a permit or authorisation for the type of burn you are planning, separately from any ban.
• Check the weather. Wind is the single biggest factor in an escaped fire.

What a burn ban adds

Violating a county burn ban is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, imprisonment for up to one year, or both, under 2 O.S. §16-26(B)(10). A ban proclaimed by the Governor carries a higher maximum fine of $1,000 under §16-26(A)(5). Any law enforcement officer in the state may enforce it.

Exceptions

• Agricultural producers burning cropland, rangeland or pasture may be exempt if they file a written burn plan with the local fire department, keep it on site, and notify the sheriff and fire dispatch, under 2 O.S. §16-28.2. This does not cover campfires, household trash, or debris and pile burning.
• Commissioners may grant other exceptions based on appropriate precautionary measures, so the exact carve-outs come from your county's own resolution.

If your fire escapes

Beyond any criminal penalty, you can be held liable for the cost of suppressing a fire you started and for damage to other people's property. That liability does not depend on whether a burn ban was in place.