Whether Pulaski County is under a burn ban right now can change day to day, so the only reliable check is a same-day one: look at the county’s website or the Arkansas Forestry Division’s statewide burn ban map before you light anything outdoors. A Pulaski County burn ban is issued by executive order of the County Judge, usually in response to drought, low humidity, or elevated wildfire risk, and burning in violation of an active ban is a Class A misdemeanor in Arkansas.
How to Check if a Ban Is Active Today
Pulaski County posts burn ban announcements, and notices when bans are lifted, directly on its official website at pulaskicounty.net. The Pulaski County Office of Emergency Management will also confirm current status by phone at 501-340-6911.
For a statewide view, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division keeps an interactive map that color-codes every county by current restriction status. You can reach it through the Arkansas.gov State Burn Ban Map portal or the Forestry Division’s fire information page.1Arkansas.gov. State Burn Ban Map Local television and radio stations broadcast updates during extended dry stretches.
One boundary worth knowing: county bans generally apply to unincorporated areas. Cities inside Pulaski County, including Little Rock and North Little Rock, operate under their own fire codes and can issue separate restrictions. If you live inside a city limit, check with your city fire marshal too.
What a Burn Ban Prohibits
The exact language varies by executive order, but most Pulaski County bans restrict all open-air burning. That typically covers:
- Yard waste burning — leaves, brush, limbs, grass clippings.
- Trash burning in barrels or open piles.
- Land clearing by igniting brush piles or vegetation.
- Campfires and bonfires on the ground, on private or public land.
- Fireworks, because sparks travel and land on dry vegetation.
Grilling During a Ban
Most Arkansas burn ban orders exempt gas and charcoal grills, because the flame stays inside the appliance and doesn’t throw embers the way an open fire does. Containment is the distinction. Read the specific order anyway, since a severe ban could restrict grilling too. When grilling is allowed, keep a pressurized water source like a garden hose within reach, and set the grill on concrete or brick rather than dry grass or a wooden deck.2National Fire Protection Association. Grilling Safety
Who Issues a Ban and for How Long
Under Arkansas law, the County Judge is the chief executive of the county and holds sole authority to declare a local disaster emergency. That declaration activates emergency plans and authorizes executive orders restricting outdoor burning.3Justia. Arkansas Code 12-75-108 – Local Disaster Emergencies – Declaration A ban runs up to 30 days at a time and can be renewed if conditions stay dangerous. Before issuing one, the Office of Emergency Management typically coordinates with the Forestry Division, which tracks fuel loads, soil moisture, and fire danger ratings.4Arkansas Department of Agriculture. Forestry Division
Criminal Penalties
Burning outdoors during an active ban falls under Arkansas’s unlawful burning statute as a Class A misdemeanor.5Justia. Arkansas Code 5-38-310 – Unlawful Burning A conviction can bring a fine of up to $2,500 and up to one year in the county jail, or both.6Justia. Arkansas Code 5-4-201 – Fines – Limitations on Amount
If the fire gets away from you, the charge can escalate. Starting a fire that recklessly creates a substantial risk of death or serious injury, or that destroys an occupied structure or vital public facility, is reckless burning, a Class D felony.7Justia. Arkansas Code 5-38-302 – Reckless Burning The jump from misdemeanor to felony catches people off guard, but it tracks the difference between a fire that stays in your yard and one that doesn’t.
Civil Liability and Suppression Costs
The criminal fine is often the smaller number. Arkansas law treats an uncontrolled fire as a public nuisance and lets the Forestry Commission or any organized fire suppression force put it out and bill the responsible party. If the bill isn’t paid within 90 days, the state can sue to collect.8Justia. Arkansas Code 20-22-303 – Public Nuisance
Damage to a neighbor’s property costs more. Arkansas law requires a person responsible for a fire that damages someone else’s property to pay double the actual damages suffered by the injured party.9Arkansas Department of Agriculture. Arkansas Code – Fire Law If your fire crosses a property line and causes $10,000 in damage, you could owe $20,000. Homeowners insurance may not cover the loss if the insurer finds you were negligent, and burning during an active ban is strong evidence of negligence.
Reporting a Violation
For an immediate fire danger, call 911. For non-emergency reports of someone burning during a ban, contact the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office or your local fire department.