Countywide burn ban initiated

During their regular meeting Monday, December 1, Medina County Commissioners Court adopted Order 2025-1201-01 prohibiting or restricting outdoor burning.

The court determined that circumstances present in all or part of the unincorporated area of the county create a public safety hazard that would be heightened by outdoor burning.

Therefore, the Court ordered that all outdoor burning is prohibited in the unincorporated area of Medina County for 90 days from the date of the Order’s adoption Dec. 1, 2025.

Should the County Judge or the County Fire Marshal makes a determination that the circumstances that required the Order no longer exist, the Order could be terminated earlier.

This order does not prohibit outdoor burning activities related to public health and safety that are authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for:

• firefighter training;

• public utility, natural gas  pipeline or mining operations;  

• harvesting of agricultural crops; 

• burns that are conducted by a prescribed burn manager certified under Section 153.048; Natural Resources Code, and meet the standards of Section 154.047, Natural Resources Code; or

• ceremonial fires, provided that advance notice is given of the time and location to Medina County Sheriff and to the appropriate fire officials.

Furthermore, the Court ordered that:

• the burning of brush on property cleared by a Land Clearing Contractor, their employees or by the landowner; and 

• who remain present during any such burning with appropriate fire containment equipment shall constitute an exception to the Burn Ban, provided that a notice of exception is obtained from the County Fire Marshal and notice of any such burning is provided in advance to the Medina County Sheriff providing the time and location of such burning.

In accordance with Local Government Code (LGC) Section 3525.081(h), a violation of this Order is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed $500 per each violation.