To provide a combustion control device and method for a rotary kiln automatically processing highly reliable temperature measurement data and controlling combustion favorably.

This combustion control device for the rotary kiln is characterized in that temperature measuring means measure the inside temperature of the rotary kiln for controlling the combustion of the rotary kiln, a transmission part for transmitting the temperature data and a receiving part for receiving to the transmission part are provided in the kiln body side and the fixing side respectively opposed to each other, and the temperature data are transmitted/received from the transmission part to the receiving part in noncontact. The temperature measuring means measuring the inside temperature of the rotary kiln under rotation are disposed in a plurality of parts longitudinally to the kiln body. This control device is characterized in selecting either of the temperature data measured by the respective temperature measuring means or calculating the maximum value based on the temperature data, and controlling the combustion of the rotary kiln based on the maximum value or the selected temperature data.