Outdoor Burning

Click Here for the Burn Status in Denton County http://www.dentoncounty.com/BurnControl/
 
Outdoor burning is a wonderful way to get rid of the collection of leaves and branches around the house but it can be dangerous if certain rules and procedures are not followed. Residents of Double Oak and the surrounding county areas have the privilege of being able to conduct controlled burns. The DOVFD presents this informational page to better educate you
about the requirements which must be met in order for you to legally burn outdoors. All of the information on this page should be followed in order to safely burn within the DOVFD fire district.
All residents of Double Oak wishing to burn should read and be familiar with the Town of Double Oak's burning ordinance. You can read the document by clicking here. The town's burn ordinance includes information on the types of fires you may legally have and what you are allowed to burn. Residents are only allowed to have fires which burn dry leaves, branches,
untreated wood, or grass. Fires may be used to dispose of these types of items or for recreational purposes such as for keeping warm during cold weather or for preparation of food. Any items other than listed above may not be burned including wet grass or leaves which produce dense smoke. Please be aware that if your burn is producing a large amount of smoke it may be considered a nuisance and you will be asked to terminate burning by the fire department. The fire department has the authority to inspect the burn pile and either allow or prohibit the burning based on our findings. Outdoor burning is only allowed during the daylight hours between 1 hour after sunrise and  1 hour before sunset. No burning may occur during the nighttime. All outdoor burns must be accompanied by an ample and nearby water source as well as a person over the age of 17 constantly observing the burn pile. The burn may not be left unsupervised until it is completely extinguished.

Outdoor burning is not allowed any time there is a county wide burn ban such as during high fire or drought conditions.  These burn bans can occur in the summer months and sometimes in the winter months as well.

If you do not live within the town limits of Double Oak and you live in an unincorporated area of Denton County, you are required to purchase a controlled burn permit prior to conducting any outdoor burning.  To obtain a permit, please call the Denton County Fire Marshal's Office at (940) 349-2840.

Outdoor burning may be prohibited at different times due to different reasons. Obviously if we are in a drought or high fire danger situation burning will not be allowed but even in times where it is relatively safe to burn it may not be allowed. During an o-zone alert day outdoor burning is prohibited because of the collection of pollutants in the air. Also during periods of high wind burning may not be allowed. If you are burning on a no-burn day the fire department will respond and ask you to extinguish your fire. How do you know if it is a burn day or not? A Denton County Controlled Burn Website is available showing the burn status for the day. This website also allows you to log your burn with the Denton County Fire Marshal.  All residents should log your controlled burns with the county.  This helps to prevent the fire department from being called to respond to your house for an unknown fire.  You may also choose to log your burn via a telephone voice mail system.  The phone number is (940) 349-2840.  Leave your name, address, and times you will be burning on the voice mail.  Be safe and smart when burning outdoors and follow these tips below for a successful and legal burn:

  1. •Only burn approved materials in your burn pile such as dry leaves, branches, grass, or brush

  2. •Always have a water source nearby such as a garden hose to keep the fire under control

  3. •Always have an observer who is 17 years of age or older watching the fire until it is fully extinguished


  4. •Do not burn items that produce large amounts of smoke such as wet leaves...sometimes it is best to burn several smaller piles one at a time instead of one large pile to control the amount of smoke

  5. •Always call the Denton County Fire Marshal's Office at (940) 349-2840 to determine if it is a burn day or not and to log your burn with them by giving them your name, address, and time you will be burning


  1. •If your fire begins to get out of control call 911 immediately for the fire department to respond

  2. •Read and be familiar with the Double Oak Town Ordinance on Outdoor Burning.  There are some specifics not covered here that you will need to know such as the required size of certain burn piles.