Fire Regulations in Bristol, CT (2026)
5 verified fire regulations for Bristol, Connecticut, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
In the City of Bristol, Connecticut, recreational fires such as campfires, chimineas and fire pits are allowed under City Code § 7-17 only if built from dry, unprocessed wood, kept under three feet in diameter, and extinguished by 1:00 a.m., with violations an infraction under § 1-11.
Bristol Backyard Fire Pit Rules
Some RestrictionsBristol Code of Ordinances § 7-17
(1)The burning of nonprocessed (non-processed wood is considered to be any untreated natural wood up to and including rough cut lumber) wood for campfires, bonfires and other outdoor fires for ceremonial or recreational purposes; cooking fires and fires within an enclosed commercial product such as a chiminea, fire pit or patio hearth; fires within an enclosed fixed masonry structure such as st...
Fireworks
Bristol bans possessing or discharging fireworks, firecrackers, firearms, bows, crossbows and BB or pellet guns anywhere in a city park under Sec. 16-2(e)(1), with the only exceptions being a fireworks display put on under municipal authority or an activity the Board of Park Commissioners specifically authorizes. Violators face a ninety-dollar infraction under Sec. 16-8.
Bristol Park Fireworks and Firearms Ban
Heavy RestrictionsBristol Code of Ordinances § 16-2(e)(1); § 16-8
(e)Dangerous devices.(1)Firearms, fireworks and projectile devices. No person shall possess illegal firearms, and no person, other than a police or security officer, shall carry openly any legal firearm. No person shall possess or discharge a firearm, firecracker, firework, bow, cross-bow, or traditional BB or pellet-firing air gun that expels a metallic or paint-contained projectile through th...
Outdoor Burning
Bristol's fire marshal caps recreational fires at three feet in diameter and 1:00 a.m., bans them when the state air quality index hits 75 or higher, and limits fuel to dry, nonprocessed wood in campfires, fire pits, chimineas or masonry hearths. Fires for pest, brush or health-hazard abatement need a fire marshal permit. Violators face an infraction under Code of Ordinances § 1-11.
Bristol Open Burning Rules and AQI Ban
Some RestrictionsBristol Code of Ordinances § 7-17(b), (g)
(b)The following types of open burning shall be allowed only in accordance with the following standards: ... (2)No fire shall exceed three (3) feet in diameter and no fire shall extend beyond 1:00 a.m. The fire marshal or open burning official may approve exceptions for emergency situations.(3)Only dry, non-processed wood may be burned.(4)Burning is prohibited when the State of Connecticut fore...
Smoke Detectors
Bristol requires at least one working smoke detector in every dwelling unit under Sec. 12-42, wired to household AC power or battery-powered with at least a one-year battery life. A violation counts as an immediate hazard to health and safety under Sec. 12-42(c), letting the Director of Health act without a hearing.
Bristol Smoke Detector Requirement
Some RestrictionsBristol Code of Ordinances § 12-42
(a)Structures containing one (1) to four (4) dwelling units:(1)Every single-family dwelling or portion thereof rented to another and every dwelling unit contained in a building that contains two (2) or more dwelling units shall be provided within each said dwelling unit with at least one (1) smoke detector permanently connected to a standard one-hundred-twenty-volt AC supply or operated by a se...
Propane Storage
In the City of Bristol, Connecticut, bulk liquid propane storage, meaning any container of 1,000 gallons or more, requires City Fire Marshal approval under City Code § 7-9, plus zoning compliance and, in Fire Districts 1 and 2, sign-off from the city planner, building official, fire chief and police chief.
Bristol Propane Bulk Storage Rules
Significant RestrictionsBristol Code of Ordinances § 7-9
"Bulk storage" shall mean any container that has a capacity that equals or exceeds one thousand (1,000) gallons. ... (b)The city fire marshal may approve the bulk storage of liquid propane in the "outer fire limits" provided that there is verification that the bulk storage tank plans meet all of the following:(1)The proposed placement and use of the liquid propane storage tank meets all state a...