Hays County Fire Marshal
Burn Ban Status
Burn Ban is OFFin the unincorporated
areas of Hays County
Download Your Personal Wildfire Plan
We live in a drought-prone region of the country. Wildfires can happen at any time, but when our conditions have been extremely dry for prolonged periods of time, the grasses and fuels available mean fires spread more quickly. Wildfires often threaten homes and businesses. Use the above Wildfire Action Plan for your home and any businesses you own. Share it with family members, roommates and co-workers. Being prepared in case a wildfire threatens your property can make all the difference.
Mission Statement
The primary mission of the Hays County Fire Marshal’s Office (HCFMO) is to protect the lives and property of the citizens of Hays County from fires, natural and man-made hazards, and other significant events by coordinating directly with other public safety agencies, residents and the business community. The staff of the HCFMO executes this responsibility with pride and under the highest standards of professionalism, efficiency, integrity and accountability.
The HCFMO comprises three functions: Fire Code Compliance and Enforcement; Fire Prevention and Inspections; and Fire/Arson Investigations. As a division of the Hays County Office of Emergency Services, the HCFMO provides rapid response to requests for investigations, inspections, fire code compliance, and emergency management assistance.
Wildfire Status:
MEDIUM
For Permits & Legal Documents please visit the
Hays County Fire Marshal Website at:
www.HCFMO.com
Residential Outdoor Burning
To notify the Fire Marshal Office of residential/private property burning please email: burn@co.hays.tx.us. Check below for information about outdoor burning.
Rules for Outdoor Burning (English)
Rules for Outdoor Burning (Spanish)
THIS IS BEING REVISED
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Residential Permits & Inspections for Buildings and Fireworks
All plan submittals, permitting, and inspection requests must be done using our online system.
Rules for Outdoor Burning
Fire Prevention & Safety
Fire prevention starts with the design of a building and/or system that meets the 2018 IFC, International Fire Code, and all approved codes for construction, by an architect or a professional engineer. Those blueprints/plans and specifications are then electronically submitted to The Hays County Permit Center. Our Fire Marshal’s Office has state certified plans examiners on staff that review the blueprints/plans and specifications to make sure that all new construction of subdivisions, commercial properties, public buildings and multi-family homes meet all of the applicable codes. After the plans are reviewed, a stamp or a permit is issued allowing the construction or project to begin. During the construction and/or installation, periodic inspections are done by our state certified fire inspectors. At the completion of the project, a final inspection is conducted and a Certificate of Completion (CoC) is issued and the building can then be occupied. Our inspectors also make routine inspections of schools, commercial buildings and target hazards.
Education
We provide and promote a variety of programs to make our community safer and more resilient to fire hazards. Hays County has a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) and promotes national programs like Firewise and Ready, Set Go! to help protect our citizens and visitors from the dangers of Wildland Interface Fires.
Our office also has state certified instructors and is a state certified training facility. This allows us to teach classes and provide certified training to First Responders, Fire Fighters, Emergency Management, Hazardous Materials Team members, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members and more. We currently serve as the chair for the Hays County Fire Chief’s Association training committee.