Grayson burn ban restricts outdoor fires outside city limits

By GvilleTX Newsroom

Outdoor burning was restricted outside city limits in Grayson County on Sept. 10 under a drought-related ban, according to an official notice published by Gunter. For residents burning on their property, the county’s Fire Marshal guidance also assigns responsibility for any resulting damage to the person responsible for the burn.

The order is scheduled to continue through Sept. 30, according to the notice. Commissioners may end it sooner if they determine the danger has passed, or extend it if conditions warrant. Its stated jurisdiction is unincorporated Grayson County, the territory outside municipal boundaries.

Commissioners approved the restrictions unanimously in August, citing drought conditions, according to the Commissioners Court record. The order establishes limits on outdoor burning during the period covered by the notice.

Violating the order is a Class C misdemeanor carrying a possible fine of up to $500, according to the Grayson County Fire Marshal. The office’s published rules also say fire departments may charge for responding to fires that violate applicable laws or regulations. Those rules separately state that the person responsible for an outdoor burn remains liable for damage it causes.

Cooke County announced an outdoor-burning ban effective in August and said it prohibited all outdoor burning, according to the county website. Within Gainesville, the city’s outdoor-burning policy requires a permit and a Fire Marshal inspection at the site for allowable burns. The municipal policy also bars burning domestic waste.

Grayson County’s records show that communicating the duration of restrictions has been a concern before. In an August 2023 briefing, the Fire Marshal described the county’s historical practice of issuing seven-day bans as confusing for residents and difficult to enforce. The current notice gives residents an expiration date while allowing commissioners to revisit the restrictions as conditions change.

The danger posed by outdoor burning extends beyond the county. The Texas A&M Forest Service identifies careless debris burning as the most common cause of wildfires in Texas. The agency includes vegetation burned in piles or metal barrels in that category.

In a December 2025 report, the Forest Service attributed roughly nine out of every ten Texas wildfires to people and their activities. That statewide figure covers human causes broadly, rather than debris burning alone.

For rural homes and outbuildings, the Grayson County Fire Marshal recommends keeping the surrounding ground mowed for approximately 50 feet to help keep wildfire from reaching structures.