Ban includes beach bonfires in unincorporated areas. County officials said violations can bring fines up to $500.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — County commissioners have issued an immediate burn ban for all areas of Nueces County outside city limits.

The order prohibits all outdoor burning — including beach bonfires — for the next 60 days, through March 28, 2026. The county judge can lift the ban earlier if weather and ground conditions improve.

The burn ban applies only to areas outside city limits. County leaders said the restriction is meant to reduce wildfire risk.

Some exceptions are allowed. Burns connected to public health and safety may continue if approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. These include firefighting training, specific utility or pipeline work, agricultural planting and harvesting, and burns handled by a state-certified prescribed burn manager.

Burning household trash is allowed only in areas without trash pickup service. In those cases, waste must be burned inside an enclosed container, such as a metal barrel, with a screen to stop sparks and flames from escaping.

Backyard cooking, such as barbecues and cookouts, is still allowed. Outdoor welding and other work that creates sparks must follow fire safety rules.

County officials said anyone who knowingly violates the burn ban can be charged with a Class C misdemeanor and fined up to $500.

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