Stone Fire Pit in Georgetown: Burn Bans, Gas or Wood

A wood-burning stone fire pit in Georgetown has to sit at least 25 feet from the house and anything else that burns, and it is subject to Williamson County burn bans in dry years. A gas fire pit avoids wood smoke and embers, but no county order we have read names gas pits as exempt, so the choice comes down to where the pit can go and how you plan to use it.

Here is what the City of Georgetown, Williamson County and the fire code actually say, and the questions worth asking any mason before a stone is set.

Can you have a wood-burning fire pit in Georgetown?

Yes. The Georgetown Fire Department says recreational fires "are allowed within the city limits of Georgetown and Georgetown's fire response district," and gives "traditional campfire rings or fire pits" as examples. The city defines a recreational fire as one with "a fuel area of 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height."

Placement is the hard rule. The city states that "recreational fires shall not be conducted within 25 feet of a structure or combustible material." That matches the recreational fire section of the 2021 International Fire Code, which Georgetown has adopted with local amendments. On a typical suburban lot, 25 feet from the house, the fence and the pergola rules out a lot of the yard, so measure before you fall in love with a spot.

The same code sets two habits for every fire. IFC section 307.5 says recreational fires "shall be constantly attended until the fire is extinguished," with at least one portable extinguisher with a minimum 4-A rating, or a garden hose or similar, ready to use.

What happens to a fire pit during a Williamson County burn ban?

A county burn ban can stop a wood fire pit outright. Under Texas Local Government Code section 352.081, a commissioners court may prohibit or restrict outdoor burning in the unincorporated county when drought conditions exist, and a ban order "may not extend beyond the 90th day after the date the order is adopted." The Texas A&M Forest Service notes a ban can be put in place "by a county judge or county commissioners court."

Williamson County's most recent order, effective February 24, 2026, made it a violation to burn "any combustible material outside of an enclosure which serves to contain all flames and/or sparks," punishable as a Class C misdemeanor with a fine up to $500. The county lifted that ban effective April 10, 2026, and Williamson County was not on the Texas A&M Forest Service's daily list of 151 counties with burn bans as of October 26, 2026.

A county order covers the unincorporated areas of the county. Inside Georgetown city limits, the city's fire code applies, so during a dry spell check with the Georgetown Fire Department before lighting a wood fire.

How do officials judge drought for a burn ban?

The state ties "drought conditions" to the Keetch-Byram Drought Index. The Texas A&M Forest Service explains that the index runs from zero, meaning saturated soil, to 800, meaning "it would take eight inches of precipitation to fully saturate the soil." The Forest Service also cautions that the index "should not be exclusively used to predict wildfire potential," which is why a county looks at more than one number before ordering a ban.

Does a gas fire pit get around a burn ban?

Not automatically. The Williamson County order does not mention gas fire pits; its test is whether flames and sparks are contained in an enclosure designed to stop the spread of fire. If year-round use is the reason you are choosing gas, ask the county fire marshal how a current order applies before you assume the pit can be lit.

A gas pit is also a gas pit for good. One manufacturer's fire pit insert manual, from Hearth Products Controls, states plainly: "Solid fuels shall not be burned in the fire pit." Decide between wood and gas before the stone goes up, because the firebox is built differently for each.

Natural gas or propane for a fire pit?

That depends on your street. The City of Georgetown's askGTX knowledge base lists Atmos Energy and Texas Gas Service as natural gas providers and notes that "not every neighborhood has natural gas service, and some areas rely on propane instead."

Propane brings its own rules. The Railroad Commission of Texas requires a company to hold an active license to install and service LP-gas, and the HPC manual says a remote propane tank "should be a minimum of 54 inches from the fire pit." The same manual requires a gas shutoff on the outside of the enclosure, at least two vents of 18 square inches each on opposite sides, and it warns against filling the burner with gravel, pebbles or river rock, which hold moisture.

What should you ask the mason before building?

These questions separate a fire pit that is built for the site from one dropped onto it:

• Where does the pit sit relative to the 25-foot line from the house, fence, trees and any cover?
• For wood, is the fuel area inside the city's 3-foot by 2-foot recreational fire size?
• What is the base? The National Fire Protection Association advises a level surface that will not burn, "such as patio blocks, bricks, or concrete."
• For gas, which burner manual is the build following, and where are the vents and the shutoff?
• Who runs the gas line, and what license do they hold?
• How far is the seating from the fire? NFPA advises keeping children and pets at least three feet away.

We answer every one of these on the walkthrough for a stone fire pit, and we usually design the pit together with the flagstone patio and seating wall around it so the clearances are planned rather than discovered.

Building one that works in your yard

B&B Landscaping & Masonry builds wood-burning and gas fire pits in natural Texas stone across Georgetown and Williamson County, and we raise the burn-ban and clearance questions before we draw anything. Call 512.635.7701 for a free on-site estimate.