Burn permits may be obtained online or at any Sedgwick County Fire Station. Please know your burning address/jurisdiction and choose accordingly. For questions please contact the Sedgwick County Fire Prevention Division at 316-660-3473.

Kansas Open Burn Regulations

Burning Permits and Restrictions Fact Sheet 2024

Burn Permit Requirements

  1. The applicant is in legal control of the lot or parcel of land as herein described.
  2. Burning will be attended continuously by a competent person of legal age from the time of ignition to the time of extinguishment.
  3. Burning will not be permitted if the wind speed exceeds 15 miles per hour.
  4. a) FOR FIELD FIRES: a fire break (plowed or disked) of at least 20 feet on all sides of the area to be burned shall be provided.
    b) FOR NON-FIELD FIRES: adequate clearance shall be provided from readily combustible materials (example: grass to be mowed) with material(s) to be burned located a minimum of 100 feet from any structure and 10 feet from any property line.
  5. Burning shall not create a smoke nuisance or hazard to neighboring properties or persons. Precautions shall be taken to assure confinement, intensity and size of said burn.
  6. Burning of any heavy smoke-producing material is strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to: rubber tires, plastics, roofing, tar paper, old furniture, garbage, cloth or any petroleum base product.
  7. A garden hose or other fire extinguishing equipment must be available at the burn location.
  8. Burning shall be conducted one hour after sunrise to one hour before sunset (except agriculture and other specifically approved fires).
  9. This permit will be in the possession of the person doing the burning, for immediate inspection.
  10. There is no charge for agricultural or open burns.

Agricultural Burns

  • Removal of stubble remaining from crops after harvest or from crops rendered useless due to destruction caused by severe weather or the infestation of insects or disease.
  • Removal of brush and tree trimmings and any other vegetative materials when done to control invasions of hedge row brush on crop lands (example: trimming the hedge-row brush between farm fields).
  • Removal of hedge row brush for land clearing operations.
  • Removal of tree trimmings from commercial orchards.

Open Burns

  • Burning combustible waste material from residential or commercial construction projects which is from the permit location.
  • Burning brush and tree trimmings on residential or commercial property which is from the permit location.
  • Burning that is considered to be necessary and in the public's interest as determined on a case-by-case basis (roadway clearings, salvage operations, structures, etc).
  • Burning cut trees, vegetation or lumber for recreational enjoyment, commonly know as a "bonfire."