Fire Regulations in Bowling Green, KY (2026)
8 verified fire regulations for Bowling Green, Kentucky, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pit Rules
Bowling Green Code of Ordinances Section 12-6.02 (Residential / Recreational Burning) allows recreational fires only if the fire is completely contained in a fire pit that is commercially built or constructed of brick, concrete, stone, or metal. The fire must be attended at all times by a person over 18, and smoke or embers may not negatively affect neighboring property owners or create a fire spread risk. Materials must be natural vegetation only. Burning permitted materials outside of a contained fire pit requires a burn permit from the Bowling Green Fire Department.
Bowling Green Fire Pit Rules: Contained Pit, Attended by Adult
Some RestrictionsFireworks
Bowling Green Code Section 15-5.04 (Sale and Use of Fireworks), adopted by Ordinance BG2011-51, limits consumer fireworks to between noon and 10:00 p.m. on June 27 through July 3 and on July 5, and between noon and 11:00 p.m. on July 4. Use on any other day requires a no-fee Special Discharge Permit from the Bowling Green Fire Department, applied for at least 15 days in advance and valid for a 4-hour window between noon and 9:00 p.m. Users must be 18 or older and stay at least 200 feet from any structure, vehicle, or other person. Discharge on public property, including public roadways, is banned. Kentucky permits consumer fireworks statewide under KRS 227.700-227.750, and KRS 227.717 lets cities restrict times.
Bowling Green Fireworks: Allowed Only Noon-10 PM June 27-July 5 (11 PM on July 4)
Heavy RestrictionsBrush Clearance
Bowling Green has adopted the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) with a local amendment to Section 302.4 setting the maximum height for weeds or plant growth, including grass, at ten (10) inches. The amendment was made by Ordinance BG2022-41 (adopted September 6, 2022). Any vegetation in excess of 10 inches, except maintained crops, trees, bushes, flowers, or other ornamental plants, is declared a nuisance. Property owners are responsible for the area from their property line to the curb and within easements and rights-of-way. Undeveloped lots larger than 2 acres must be mowed below 10 inches within 50 feet of any improvement, roadway, structure, or property line.
Bowling Green Weed/Brush Limit: 10 Inches Maximum (IPMC Section 302.4 as Amended)
Some RestrictionsOutdoor Burning
Open burning is prohibited inside Bowling Green city limits without prior Bowling Green Fire Department approval (Chapter XII, Section 12-6, Code of Ordinances). Permits may be issued for sites consisting of natural vegetation. Burnable material is limited to natural vegetation; pallets, treated lumber, and trash are banned. Permitted residential burns are allowed only 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. from February 15 to April 30 and from October 1 to December 15, with a max 4-ft pile, 30-ft setback from woodland/grassland/combustibles, no winds 10 mph or higher, and constant attendance. These windows match Kentucky's statutory forest fire hazard seasons under KRS 149.400.
Bowling Green Open Burning: Prohibited Without Fire Department Permit
Heavy RestrictionsWildfire Zones
Bowling Green sits in the Western Pennyroyal karst region; approximately 90 percent of Warren County is built on karst with 350+ cave entrances and 30+ km of mapped cave passage. The city is not within a federally mapped Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) and Kentucky does not adopt a stand-alone WUI code. Wildfire-related controls come from Kentucky Division of Forestry's statutory forest-fire hazard seasons (KRS 149.400) - no daytime burning within 150 feet of woodland or brushland between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. from February 15 to April 30 and from October 1 to December 15 - and from Bowling Green's own permit-required open-burning rule (Chapter XII, Section 12-6).
Bowling Green Wildfire Risk: Karst Plain, No Mapped WUI Zone
Few RestrictionsSmoke Detectors
Bowling Green follows the Kentucky Standards of Safety (815 KAR 10:060) and the Kentucky Building Code (815 KAR 7:120) for smoke alarm installation, enforced locally by the Bowling Green Fire Department under Chapter XII of the Code of Ordinances. The Bowling Green Fire Department recommends installing detectors on every level of the home including the basement and inside and outside every sleeping area, with monthly testing and annual battery replacement. Most units have an 8-10 year life span and must be replaced afterward. For new construction and certain alterations, the Kentucky Residential Code (NFPA 72/IRC R314) requires interconnected, hardwired smoke alarms with battery backup in each sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on each story including basements.
Bowling Green Smoke Alarms: Kentucky Standards of Safety + BGFD Placement
Heavy RestrictionsBackyard Fires
Backyard fires in Bowling Green are governed by Section 12-6.02 of the Code of Ordinances. A recreational fire must be completely contained in a fire pit (commercial or constructed of brick, concrete, stone, or metal); burning materials outside a contained pit requires a burn permit. Only natural vegetation may be burned - no pallets, treated lumber, trash, or processed materials. The fire must be attended at all times by an adult 18 or older, smoke and embers may not affect neighbors, and the fire may not create a spread risk. Permitted (non-contained) burns are restricted to 6:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m. during the Feb 15-Apr 30 and Oct 1-Dec 15 windows.
Bowling Green Backyard Fires: Contained Fire Pit Only, Attended by Adult
Some RestrictionsPropane Storage
Bowling Green follows the Kentucky Standards of Safety (815 KAR 10:060) and the Kentucky Building Code (815 KAR 7:120) for LP-gas (propane) container storage, fill, and use. Kentucky law requires LP-gas installations to comply with NFPA 58 (Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code) as adopted through the Standards of Safety, and 815 KAR 10:070 separately regulates LP-gas dealers. Locally, the Bowling Green Fire Department's Fire Chief enforces these statewide rules under Section 12-1.02 of the Code of Ordinances. Container installation, separation distances from buildings and property lines, and refilling stations require state-licensed installers and, for larger installations, IFC/NFPA 58 permitting reviewed by the BG Fire Department.
Bowling Green Propane (LP-Gas) Storage: Kentucky Standards of Safety (NFPA 58)
Some RestrictionsLooking for Warren County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Bowling Green city rules.
Fire Regulations in Warren County →