Live fire restrictions & Red Flag Warnings · National Weather Service
🔴 Red Flag Warning
Critical fire weather — extreme danger, high winds, low humidity. Burning is typically banned statewide and by county.
🟠 Fire Weather Watch
Dangerous conditions developing within 24–72 hrs. Monitor for upgrade to Red Flag Warning and imminent restrictions.
⚠️ County bans may differ
Kansas county burn bans and USFS Stage 1–3 restrictions are separate — always confirm with your local fire authority.
Checking Kansas fire-weather alerts…
The NWS map above shows fire-weather alerts — for the legally binding burn ban status, go directly to the official Kansas source:
Kansas Forest ServiceCounty burn info portalOpen official source ↗Also check your county government website — a county burn ban can be in effect even when Kansas has no statewide restriction.
🚫 Prohibited
✓ Usually Still Allowed
Always confirm with the issuing agency — specific orders vary.
County burn bans in Kansas are issued separately from state-level restrictions — a county can be under a burn ban even when the rest of the state is not. County commissioners, the county fire marshal, or the county judge typically issue these orders, and they are not reflected in NWS alerts shown on the map above.
KSFire.org, maintained by the Kansas Forest Service Smoke Management program, publishes county-by-county burning regulations and contact information for all 105 Kansas counties. County burn bans are issued by the Board of County Commissioners and enforced by local law enforcement under KSA 48-939.
Kansas County Burn Bans — KS Fire / Kansas Forest ServiceView county map ↗Federal land managers use a tiered system that escalates as fire danger increases. Stage restrictions apply only to the land they are issued for — your county may have a separate burn ban on private land.
Open burning prohibited. Campfires may still be allowed in designated fire rings at developed campgrounds. Portable gas and pressurized-liquid stoves are typically allowed in cleared areas.
All open fires prohibited — including campfires in developed campgrounds. Gas stoves may be allowed in cleared areas. Chainsaw use and motorized off-road vehicles restricted.
Maximum restriction before full closure. All fires may be prohibited. Motorized vehicle use off designated roads, shooting, and spark-producing tools are typically banned.
State or county-level complete ban on all open burning — campfires, burn barrels, brush and agricultural burning. Gas and propane grills for cooking are usually still allowed.
Area is fully closed — no public access or fire-related activity of any kind is permitted.
Typically equivalent to Stage 1. Open burning prohibited; campfires in developed campgrounds may still be allowed. Common on BLM land in NV, OR, and ID.
Agency-specific restriction with unique terms. Always read the specific order from the issuing land management office — scope varies significantly.
Oregon ODF Industrial Fire Precaution Level — applies to industrial operations (logging, equipment) on ODF-protected state and private forestland. IFPL I is the lowest level; IFPL IV is the most restrictive. Separate from USFS campfire restrictions.
Restriction scope and exact prohibitions vary by agency and order. Always confirm with the issuing land management office or visit the official source linked above.
Kansas has no single statewide online burn permit portal; permit requirements are set at the county level. Many counties require a free daily phone-in or online permit (example: Franklin County offers online permits at franklincoks.org). County burn permits must generally include landowner information, burn location, timing, and a notification call to the local Sheriff's dispatch or fire department before ignition. The Kansas Forest Service (kansasforests.org) coordinates prescribed burn guidance and the Flint Hills Smoke Management Program but does not issue individual burn permits.
Get Kansas burning permit ↗Or call the Kansas forestry hotline: 785-532-3321
Kansas fire season peaks in March and April, coinciding with traditional Flint Hills prairie burning and the period of dead-cured fuels, warming temperatures, and low relative humidity before spring green-up. A secondary fire spike occurs in July. The tallgrass prairie of the Flint Hills and the shortgrass plains of western Kansas are especially prone to fast-moving wind-driven fires, and drought years dramatically extend and intensify the danger period.
Statewide or regional burn bans and open-burning suspensions on state and private land.
County-wide burn bans — the level that most often affects homeowners and is easy to miss.
Stage 1–3 fire restrictions and closures on national forests, parks, and other federal land.
Municipal open-burning rules, fireworks bans, and local red-flag restrictions.
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The live map and status strip above show active Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches from the National Weather Service for Kansas. For the legally binding answer, check the official Kansas source: Kansas Forest Service at https://ksfire.org/burn-info/. Also confirm with your county — a county burn ban can be in effect even when no statewide restriction exists.
During an active burn ban, Kansas prohibits: All open burning of agricultural fields, brush, and vegetation when a county burn ban is declared; Campfires and bonfires during declared burn bans; Burning when wind speeds exceed 25 mph or relative humidity falls below 20% (standard county restriction trigger); Open burning without a permit during non-ban periods in many counties; Burning of heavy smoke-producing materials including tires, heavy oils, and tar paper at all times; Open burning during active NWS Red Flag Warnings; Burning of solid waste and garbage without an approved site or exception. Typically still allowed: Outdoor cooking using propane, natural gas, or charcoal grills (explicitly exempted under most county ban orders); Burning within self-contained outdoor appliances (fire pits, barbecue grills, camp stoves) over non-flammable surfaces at least 5 feet from flammable vegetation; Ceremonial fires as exempted under most county ban ordinances; Crop, range, pasture, and wildlife/watershed management burns per state law when specifically exempted by county resolution; Interior fireplaces and enclosed heating appliances. Always verify the specific order with Kansas Forest Service — prohibited activities can vary by jurisdiction and restriction level.
Gas and propane grills used for cooking on private residential property are typically allowed during a Kansas burn ban. Charcoal grills may be permitted in calm conditions but check the specific order. Wood-fired grills, outdoor fire pits, and campfires are usually prohibited. Always verify with Kansas Forest Service before lighting anything.
Multiple authorities can issue burn bans in Kansas independently: Kansas Forest Service for statewide or regional orders; Board of County Commissioners (declaring burn bans by resolution under KSA 48-932; enforcement by county Sheriff's office) for county-wide bans that affect most homeowners; federal land managers (U.S. Forest Service, BLM, NPS) for Stage 1–3 restrictions on federal land; and cities or local fire districts for additional local rules. A county burn ban can be active even with no statewide restriction — always check both.
Burn bans in Kansas have no fixed duration — they are issued when fire danger is high and lifted when conditions improve, which can happen overnight or persist for weeks during drought. Red Flag Warnings from the NWS typically last 24–48 hours. State and county burn bans are lifted separately. Check the issuing agency daily during dry, windy conditions.
Kansas fire season peaks in March and April, coinciding with traditional Flint Hills prairie burning and the period of dead-cured fuels, warming temperatures, and low relative humidity before spring green-up. A secondary fire spike occurs in July. The tallgrass prairie of the Flint Hills and the shortgrass plains of western Kansas are especially prone to fast-moving wind-driven fires, and drought years dramatically extend and intensify the danger period.
Kansas has no single statewide online burn permit portal; permit requirements are set at the county level. Many counties require a free daily phone-in or online permit (example: Franklin County offers online permits at franklincoks.org). County burn permits must generally include landowner information, burn location, timing, and a notification call to the local Sheriff's dispatch or fire department before ignition. The Kansas Forest Service (kansasforests.org) coordinates prescribed burn guidance and the Flint Hills Smoke Management Program but does not issue individual burn permits.
Violating a Kansas burn ban can result in: Knowing or willful violation of a county burn ban resolution (KSA 48-939): Class A misdemeanor — up to 1 year in jail and up to $2,500 fine; General open burning violation without ban in effect: Class C misdemeanor — up to 30 days in jail and up to $500 fine; If fire department called to extinguish an illegally set fire during a burn ban: fee of up to $1,000 assessed to the responsible landowner or tenant (per county ordinance, e.g., Meade County); Civil liability for property damage and suppression costs from escaped fires.
Sign up for free FireRisk.ai fire alerts below — we'll notify you when the NWS issues a Red Flag Warning for your area of Kansas. For county burn ban alerts, register with your county emergency management system (Nixle, Everbridge, or your county's sign-up page). Monitor Kansas Forest Service at https://ksfire.org/burn-info/ for statewide orders.
FireRisk.ai aggregates live fire-weather alerts from the National Weather Service and links to official Kansas agency sources. Burn ban status changes daily — always confirm with the official source and your county before any outdoor burning. This page is for awareness only and is not an official or legal notice. For fire emergencies call 911.
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