Frequently Asked Questions

Burning inside the City limits of Snyder regulated by local ordinance. This does not prohibit fires used for cooking purposes (if arranged in a safe manner), but does prohibit the burning of any type of trash, rubbish, or similar debris. Click HERE to see what fires are permitted/prohibited. Outside the City limits, there are no local ordinances unless a burn ban is in place. However, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has numerous restrictions and should be contacted for up-to-date and accurate information. In general, it is against State law to burn tires, furniture, petroleum products, certain treated materials including some types of wood, and several other materials. Trailer houses are specifically prohibited. Tree limbs, grass, and natural vegetation debris are normally allowed if produced on the property they are being burned on. Hauling debris to a secondary location is not allowed. During a routine burn ban, household trash burning is allowed in an enclosed container such as a barrel, as long as there is a spark arresting screen over the container. The screen should be small enough to catch sparks emitted from the burning process. Hog wire or chicken wire is not considered a spark arresting screen. A window-type screen material is suggested. Burning household trash in a pit is not allowed during a burn ban. While these suggestions are normally acceptable, this list is not to be considered all-inclusive. Both the TCEQ and/or the County should be contacted for up-to-date, full, and accurate information regarding outdoor burning. While the local fire department can assist in answering questions, the State and local burn ban laws are not enacted or enforced by their department. The State laws (TCEQ) and local burn ban laws (Scurry County) are enforced by their respective agencies and are subject to respective fines and penalties.