High Point's Fire Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles fire regulations a little differently. In High Point, North Carolina, there are 5 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Propane Storage

High Point restricts bulk storage of liquefied petroleum gas to areas not prohibited by the zoning ordinance or by the fire marshal. The rule runs through the city's adopted 2018 NC Fire Code, enforced by the Bureau of Fire Prevention, with a 10-day appeal window to city council.

Key details: Governing code: NC State Building Code: Fire Code, 2018 Ed.. Storage limit: Barred where zoning or fire marshal prohibits. Enforcing office: Bureau of Fire Prevention / fire marshal. Modification request: Written application to bureau chief. Fire-decision appeal: 10 days to city council.

Absent a section-specific misdemeanor designation, an LP-gas storage violation is enforced as a civil matter under § 1-1-4: a $50.00 penalty for a first violation, $100.00 for a second, $200.00 for a third, and $500.00 for a fourth and each later violation, plus written notice identifying the code section violated and the corrective deadline. A cited party has 30 days to file a written appeal with the city; failure to appeal in that window waives the right to contest the notice, and a hearing officer's decision can be reviewed by the Superior Court under G.S. 160D-1402.

Fire Pits & Backyard Fires

Outside High Point's fire limits, grass, weeds, trash, or rubbish may only be burned in a wire-mesh enclosure, or under a written fire department permit that meets EPA open-burning standards.

Key details: Containment required: Wire-mesh enclosure. Alternative: Written fire-chief permit. Permit standard: Must meet EPA regulations. Inside fire limits: No exception applies.

Burning without the required enclosure or a fire department permit draws the code's default civil penalty, $50 first offense rising to $500 for a fourth, under § 1-1-4(g), and the fire department can order the fire put out immediately.

Smoke Detectors

High Point's Minimum Housing Code requires an approved, listed smoke detector within 15 feet of every bedroom in a dwelling, powered from the dwelling's electrical current. Rooming houses face an added duty: a detector in every furnace room and in every public hallway within 15 feet of each rooming unit.

Key details: Bedroom detector rule: Within 15 feet of every bedroom. Rooming house furnace rooms: Detector required in every furnace room. Rooming house hallways: Detector within 15 feet of each unit. Power source: Dwelling's electrical current. Missing detector consequence: Grounds for unfit-for-habitation finding.

A dwelling missing the required smoke detector can be cited as unfit for human habitation under § 9-2-104(a)(11), triggering the § 9-2-105 hearing process. If the owner does not comply with the resulting repair order, § 9-2-113(b) imposes a $100.00 civil penalty for the first day of noncompliance and $50.00 for each following day, collectible as a civil debt.

Outdoor Burning

High Point bans burning trash, leaves, or litter outside any house within the fire limits outright. Outside the fire limits, yard debris may only be burned in a wire-mesh enclosure or under a fire chief permit that must meet current EPA rules, and bonfires anywhere always require a written permit first.

Key details: Inside fire limits: All open trash/leaf burning banned. Outside fire limits: Wire-mesh enclosure or fire chief permit. Bonfires: Written fire chief permit required, all locations. Federal overlay: Permits must meet EPA burning rules. Fire limits defined at: City Code §§ 9-1-61 to 9-1-63.

A first burning violation carries a $50.00 civil penalty under § 1-1-4, rising to $100.00 for a second, $200.00 for a third, and $500.00 for a fourth and each later violation, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. The violator gets written notice citing the section violated and the correction deadline, and may appeal in writing to the city within 30 days; skipping that window waives the right to contest the penalty.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. High Point actively enforces its outdoor burning requirements.

Fireworks

Fireworks are restricted in High Point under North Carolina state law and city ordinance. Only certain consumer fireworks classified as novelties are legal. Aerial fireworks, firecrackers, and roman candles are prohibited without a permit.

Key details: Legal Items: Sparklers, smoke devices, snakes. Illegal: Firecrackers, aerial fireworks, roman candles. State Law: NC GS 14-410 through 14-415. Professional Shows: Fire Department permit required.

Possession or use of illegal fireworks is a misdemeanor in NC punishable by fines and potential jail time.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. High Point actively enforces its fireworks requirements.

The Bottom Line

High Point is tougher than many cities when it comes to fire regulations. Out of the 5 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in High Point, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from High Point's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.