Backyard Fire Pit Laws & Regulations [Expert Tips]

Can you have a fire pit in your backyard? Absolutely! If you're looking for outdoor fire pit safety and information, keep reading our post below.

Fire safety is essential, especially when the fire sits in your backyard. When it comes to outdoor fire pits, specific fire pit laws and regulations are enforced to ensure the safety of your property and your loved ones. 

Before lighting your new backyard fire feature, ensure you abide by the following safety protocols.

Read our Ultimate Guide to Backyard Fire Pits to learn more.

Measurements

According to the Unified Fire Authority, residents can have a fire pit in their backyard, but the fuel area of the fire pit must be equal to or less than 2 feet in height and 3 feet in diameter. 

Note that this only refers to the fuel area, so if you built or bought a deluxe fire feature with a wide stone ring or other additions, make sure to write it off for seeming too large. So long as the fuel area is within these measurements.

Skip the fire pit with a complete backyard fire table set.

Distance

When it comes to the distance at which homeowners must keep outdoor fire features from the home or combustible materials, the rules depend on the type of feature you have. 

There is a minimum clearance of 10 feet for natural gas fire pits. Fires in a portable pit or barbecue must remain 15 feet away from any structure or flammable materials.

Although these are the official backyard fire pit laws, we suggest you distance the fire and its surroundings as much as possible. Better safe than sorry!

Supervision

One of the most critical backyard fire pit regulations is to monitor the fire until it is entirely extinguished. From the first strike of the match to the hissing of the final doused coal, you must not leave an active fire feature unattended for any reason, for any increment of time.

Before leaving the fire pit, thoroughly extinguish the flames until the coals are no longer red. You must also keep an emergency method of extinguishment nearby and ready to use. Whether you put out your fire with a garden hose or a bucket of water, just make sure it's prepared in an emergency.

Blend your backyard with the beauty and convenience of a fire table and patio chairs.

Burning

When it comes to what you can burn in your outdoor fire pit, the Unified Fire Authority asks that you only burn clean, dry, natural materials. Prohibited burning materials include garbage, oils, rubber, plastic, and other forms of waste. 

Get your fire going with a fire starter, logs, firewood, tinder, etc. You want to avoid rocks, as certain types tend to overheat and explode. Before lighting the fire, check the air quality forecast and verify it is a green burn day. 

Enjoy Your Fire Pit

Fire pits and backyard fire table sets are a great way to enjoy the outdoors and have fun with your friends and family. You can use them any time of the year as long as they meet specific safety requirements. It’s essential to know those requirements before you start building your fire pit so that it won’t cause any problems when someone calls the fire department.

Check out our best-selling fire table sets!