Smith County Fire Marshal's Office

Smith County Fire Marshal's Office This page is dedicated to community fire education and communication efforts of the Smith County Fire Marshal's Office.

Five weeks after the Smith County Burn Ban was issued, there have been 207 outdoor burning reports in unincorporated are...
09/22/2026

Five weeks after the Smith County Burn Ban was issued, there have been 207 outdoor burning reports in unincorporated areas of the county.
Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue gave an update to Commissioners Court on Tuesday, September 22.
Although some parts of the county received significant rainfall on Monday, other areas didn’t receive any rain.
“I don’t think we are in a position to lift the burn ban at this time,” Hogue said, adding that he recommended they reevaluate conditions after next week, when we have chances for significant rain.
Tuesday’s average Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Smith County was at 721 – an increase from the 691 he reported a week ago. The KBDI ranges from 0 to 800 and is used to determine forest fire potential.
The Commissioners Court issued the “Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning” on August 18.
During the first week, there were 58 outdoor fire incidents, 37 during the second week, 47 during the third week, 33 outdoor burning calls during the fourth week and 32 calls last week. These do not include outdoor fires within city limits.
He said the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office has written 29 citations for all five weeks, but he did not know how many were issued by other agencies in the county.
The burn ban order is in effect for 90 days, unless conditions improve, and the Commissioners Court approves terminating the order early.
Fire pits or any form of outdoor burning is prohibited. There are exceptions to the burn ban.
For more information, please call the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office at 903-590-2655 or visit www.smith-county.com and click on the red banner at the top of the homepage.

A month after the Smith County Burn Ban was issued, there have been 175 outdoor burning reports in unincorporated areas ...
09/15/2026

A month after the Smith County Burn Ban was issued, there have been 175 outdoor burning reports in unincorporated areas of the county.
Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue gave an update to Commissioners Court on Tuesday, September 15.
Hot temperatures and dry conditions mean we are still under high fire danger, Hogue said, adding that he hopes the county will see some significant rainfall in the next 10 days.
During the first week, there were 58 outdoor fire incidents, 37 during the second week, 47 during the third week, and 33 outdoor burning calls last week. These do not include outdoor fires within city limits.
He said the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office has written 27 citations for all four weeks, but he did not know how many were issued by other agencies in the county.
As of Tuesday, the latest average Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Smith County was at 691 – an increase from the 669 he reported a week ago. The KBDI ranges from 0 to 800 and is used to determine forest fire potential.
The Commissioners Court issued the “Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning” on August 18.
The burn ban order is in effect for 90 days, unless conditions improve, and the Commissioners Court approves terminating the order early.
Fire pits or any form of outdoor burning is prohibited.
There are exceptions to the burn ban. People are still allowed to cook food in a grill or smoker that contains all open flames and have enclosed lids. Professional welding operations are allowed but all welders must notify and register with the Fire Marshal’s Office before welding outside and follow specific guidelines.
The order also does not prohibit outdoor burning activities related to public health and safety that are authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, such as firefighter training; public utility, Texas Department of Transportation operations, natural gas pipeline or mining operations; planting or harvesting agricultural crops; or some prescribed burns.
A violation of the burn ban is a Class C Misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500.
For more information, please call the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office at 903-590-2655 or visit www.smith-county.com and click on the red banner at the top of the homepage.

Three weeks after the Smith County Burn Ban was issued, there have been 142 outdoor burning reports countywide.Smith Cou...
09/08/2026

Three weeks after the Smith County Burn Ban was issued, there have been 142 outdoor burning reports countywide.
Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue gave an update to Commissioners Court on Tuesday, September 8.
During the first week, there were 58 outdoor fire incidents, 37 incidents during the second week and 47 outdoor burning calls last week.
He said the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office has written 23 citations for all three weeks, but he did not know how many were issued by other agencies in the county.
As of Tuesday, the latest average Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Smith County was at 669 – a decrease from 735 he reported a week ago. The KBDI ranges from 0 to 800 and is used to determine forest fire potential.
Hogue said although Smith County saw some rain in parts of the county, it was not a significant amount. Some areas didn’t get any rain.
“We are pretty much where we started when we started the burn ban,” he said.

Although parts of Smith County received significant rain Wednesday night, Smith County remains under a burn ban.Smith Co...
09/03/2026

Although parts of Smith County received significant rain Wednesday night, Smith County remains under a burn ban.
Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue reported that the average Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Smith County was 670 Thursday, lowered from 735 reported on Tuesday. The KBDI ranges from 0 to 800 and is used to determine forest fire potential.
“The rain definitely helped us but it wasn’t enough to get us into safe conditions for outdoor burning,” Hogue said.
On Tuesday, he reported that there have been 95 outdoor burning reports countywide.
The Commissioners Court issued the “Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning” on August 18. The burn ban is in effect for 90 days, unless conditions improve and the order is terminated early.
Fire pits or any form of outdoor burning is prohibited.
There are exceptions to the burn ban. People are still allowed to cook food in a grill or smoker that contains all open flames and have enclosed lids. Professional welding operations are allowed but all welders must notify and register with the Fire Marshal’s Office before welding outside and follow specific guidelines.
The order also does not prohibit outdoor burning activities related to public health and safety that are authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, such as firefighter training; public utility, Texas Department of Transportation operations, natural gas pipeline or mining operations; planting or harvesting agricultural crops; or some prescribed burns.
A violation of the burn ban is a Class C Misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500.
For more information, please call the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office at 903-590-2655 or visit www.smith-county.com and click on the red banner at the top of the homepage.

The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a mobile home fire that resulted in three people being injured.A...
09/01/2026

The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a mobile home fire that resulted in three people being injured.
A single-wide mobile home fire in the 200 block of Lado De Loma Drive, northwest of Winona, was reported at 8:35 p.m. Monday, August 31.
Firefighters with Smith County Emergency Services District 2 responded.
An adult male suffered serious burn injuries and was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment. An adult female and small child suffered minor burn injuries and were also transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment.
Another child was in the home at the time of the fire but was not injured.
The home was a total loss, and the Red Cross was contacted to assist the displaced family.
The cause and origin of the fire is under investigation by the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office.
Smith County Emergency Services District 2

Two weeks after the Smith County Burn Ban was issued, there have been 95 outdoor burning reports countywide.Smith County...
09/01/2026

Two weeks after the Smith County Burn Ban was issued, there have been 95 outdoor burning reports countywide.
Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue gave an update to Commissioners Court on Tuesday, September 1.
During the first week, there were 58 outdoor fire incidents, and 37 incidents during the second week.
He said the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office has written 13 citations for both weeks, but he did not know how many were issued by other agencies in the county.
As of Tuesday, the average Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Smith County was at 735 – an increase from 705 he reported a week ago. The KBDI ranges from 0 to 800 and is used to determine forest fire potential.
Hogue said Smith County does have rain forecasted for the next couple of days but he doesn’t believe it will be enough to lower the KDBI and fire danger significantly. He said if the tropical storm brings heavy winds, it could lead to fires being harder to extinguish.
The Commissioners Court issued the “Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning” on August 18.
The burn ban order is in effect for 90 days, unless conditions improve, and the Commissioners Court approves terminating the order early.
Fire pits or any form of outdoor burning is prohibited.
There are exceptions to the burn ban. People are still allowed to cook food in a grill or smoker that contains all open flames and have enclosed lids. Professional welding operations are allowed but all welders must notify and register with the Fire Marshal’s Office before welding outside and follow specific guidelines.
The order also does not prohibit outdoor burning activities related to public health and safety that are authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, such as firefighter training; public utility, Texas Department of Transportation operations, natural gas pipeline or mining operations; planting or harvesting agricultural crops; or some prescribed burns.
A violation of the burn ban is a Class C Misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500.
Smith County, as well as area fire departments, have placed signs around the County, as well as billboards, to alert residents about the burn ban.
For more information, please call the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office at 903-590-2655 or visit www.smith-county.com and click on the red banner at the top of the homepage.

City of Tyler Fire Department
Smith County Emergency Services District 2
Lindale Fire Department
Arp Volunteer Fire Department
Bullard Fire Department
Winona Volunteer Fire Department
Whitehouse Volunteer Fire Department
Flint-Gresham Fire Department

One week after the Smith County Burn Ban was issued, there have been 58 outdoor burning reports countywide.Smith County ...
08/25/2026

One week after the Smith County Burn Ban was issued, there have been 58 outdoor burning reports countywide.
Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue gave an update to Commissioners Court on Tuesday, August 25.
He said the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office has written three citations and three warnings, but he did not know how many were issued by other agencies in the county.
Although parts of the county have received recent rains, several days in triple-digit temperatures dried it out quickly, Hogue said.
As of Tuesday, the average Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Smith County was at 705 – an increase from 661 he reported a week ago. The KBDI ranges from 0 to 800 and is used to determine forest fire potential.
The Commissioners Court issued the “Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning” on August 18.
The burn ban order is in effect for 90 days, unless conditions improve, and the Commissioners Court approve terminating the order early.
Fireworks, fire pits or any form of outdoor burning is prohibited.
There are exceptions to the burn ban. People are still allowed to cook food in a grill or smoker that contains all open flames and have enclosed lids. Professional welding operations are allowed but all welders must notify and register with the Fire Marshal’s Office before welding outside and follow specific guidelines.
The order also does not prohibit outdoor burning activities related to public health and safety that are authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, such as firefighter training; public utility, Texas Department of Transportation operations, natural gas pipeline or mining operations; planting or harvesting agricultural crops; or some prescribed burns.
A violation of the burn ban is a Class C Misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500.
Smith County, as well as area fire departments, have placed signs around the County, as well as billboards, to alert residents about the burn ban.
For more information, please call the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office at 903-590-2655 or visit www.smith-county.com and click on the red banner at the top of the homepage.

08/24/2026

From July through September, the leading causes of preventable wildfires in Texas are debris burning and equipment use - which includes farm equipment and lawn mowers. Follow these tips when working with heavy equipment:

🚜 Keeping your equipment clean and free from debris, oil, and grease buildups will help prevent your equipment catching fire.
🚜 Keep a fire extinguisher on each piece of heavy equipment and ensure operators are trained in their use.
🚜 Avoid idling equipment on dry grass or vegetation, as the heat from the equipment can ignite a fire.
🚜 Have a spotter on-site who can monitor for signs of ignition and respond quickly if a fire starts.
🚜 If possible, schedule heavy equipment work in the early morning when temperatures are cooler and humidity levels are higher, reducing the risk of ignition.

🔥 Protect your land. Protect Texas, Prevent Wildfires.
👉 Learn more: https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/.../prevent-wildfires/equipment-use/

A thank you from Smith County Emergency Management Coordinator Brandon Moore: Thank you for attending our training exer...
08/20/2026

A thank you from Smith County Emergency Management Coordinator Brandon Moore: Thank you for attending our training exercise on August 15. This exercise is a joint exercise between Smith County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Civil Air Patrol. We would like to thank all participants who helped, either by working the Point of Distribution, or by driving through. Regardless of the role, we could not have completed this without your help. We would also like to thank Kim's Convenience Store for donating the water and the Holy Family Catholic Church for allowing us to use their property.
During the exercise, more than 60 cases of water were given out to those who participated in driving through the POD.
A POD, or Point of Distribution, is a temporary site for distributing life-sustaining commodities to the public quickly and safely. PODs are activated when stores cannot meet the demand, or life-sustaining needs exist. This can be due to weather, medical emergencies, or other emergencies. PODs support disaster survivors when normal supply chains are disrupted. In 2024, during the Spring storms, Smith County, in collaboration with the Texas Forest Service and the Texas State Guard, opened two PODs, one in the Chapel Hill area, and one in Lindale.
A Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a trained group of volunteers who are prepared to assist their communities before, during, and after disasters and other emergencies. In Smith County, we use these volunteers to fill critical support roles in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), conduct initial damage assessments, assist with shelter and disaster-recovery operations, support search-and-rescue and light rescue activities, provide emergency preparedness information to their fellow citizens, assist with communications and ham radio operations, support first responders through rehabilitation and logistical assistance, and help distribute accurate information and resources to the community. CERT members are trained in areas such as disaster preparedness, fire safety, first aid and CPR, disaster psychology, emergency communications, light search and rescue, and disaster recovery, allowing them to serve as a trained and dependable volunteer resource that can expand the capabilities of Smith County Emergency Management while helping our communities become more prepared, resilient, and self-sufficient during an emergency.
The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force and a volunteer organization with three primary missions: Emergency Services, Cadet Programs, and Aerospace Education. In emergencies and disasters, CAP provides trained volunteers to support local, state, and federal agencies with capabilities including search and rescue, disaster assessment, communications, logistics, and other emergency response needs. Locally, CAP members train to work alongside community emergency response partners so they are prepared to assist when needed.

Since the Smith County Commissioners Court issued a burn ban Tuesday, the Smith County Fire Marshal and Deputies have be...
08/19/2026

Since the Smith County Commissioners Court issued a burn ban Tuesday, the Smith County Fire Marshal and Deputies have been posting burn ban signs throughout the county to help spread the word.
The burn ban order is in effect for 90 days, unless conditions improve, and the Commissioners Court approve terminating the order early.
Fireworks, fire pits or any form of outdoor burning is prohibited.
There are exceptions to the burn ban. People are still allowed to cook food in a grill or smoker that contains all open flames and have enclosed lids. Professional welding operations are allowed but all welders must notify and register with the Fire Marshal’s Office before welding outside and follow specific guidelines.
A violation of the burn ban is a Class C Misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500.
For more information, please call the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office at 903-590-2655 or visit www.smith-county.com and click on the red banner at the top of the homepage.
Smith County Emergency Services District 2
Lindale Fire Department
Arp Volunteer Fire Department
Bullard Fire Department
Winona Volunteer Fire Department
Whitehouse Volunteer Fire Department
Flint-Gresham Fire Department

Address

11325 Spur 248
Tyler, TX
75707

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+19035902655

Website

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