Fire Regulations in Chico, CA (2026)
6 verified fire regulations for Chico, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pit Rules
Chico Municipal Code Chapter 9.35 (Outdoor Warming Appliances with Open Flame) restricts where residents may operate fire pits, chimineas and similar open-flame warming devices. CMC 9.35.020 limits use to private property or to a city park where allowed under CMC 12.18.230. Use on public sidewalks, streets, alleys, open spaces, greenways and non-designated park areas is prohibited. The ordinance, adopted to mitigate fire risk in this WUI-adjacent community (10 miles from the 2018 Camp Fire burn scar), targets unattended or unauthorized open flames; cooking devices such as barbecues remain permitted under the exemptions in CMC 16R.42.070.
Outdoor Warming Appliances & Fire Pits — CMC Ch. 9.35
Heavy RestrictionsFireworks
All fireworks — including those classified as 'Safe and Sane' by the State of California — are banned within Chico city limits. CMC 16R.42.100 amends CCR Title 19 Ch. 6 and California Fire Code §5601 to prohibit the manufacture, possession, storage, sale, use and handling of any fireworks. The only exception is permitted public displays under CMC 16.48.020, which must follow CCR and CFC rules. This is significantly stricter than state law, which lets cities choose to allow Safe-and-Sane sales around July 4. Chico's ordinance reflects the city's wildfire-adjacent status (Camp Fire, 2018) and the dry late-summer climate of the Sacramento Valley.
Total Fireworks Ban (Including 'Safe and Sane') — CMC 16R.42.100
Heavy RestrictionsBrush Clearance
The City Council declares weeds, rubbish, refuse and debris a public nuisance and runs an annual lot-clearing & weed-abatement program administered by Community Development under CMC Ch. 1.14. Owners receive notice and a hearing each spring; if vegetation isn't cleared, the City's contractor abates it and assesses costs against the parcel. On parcels in or adjacent to the LRA Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zone east of town (Skyway / upper foothills), state law layers California Public Resources Code §4291 on top: 100 feet of defensible space around any structure (Zone 0: 0-5 ft ember-resistant — phasing in; Zone 1: 5-30 ft lean/clean/green; Zone 2: 30-100 ft reduced fuel).
Annual Weed Abatement & Defensible Space — CMC Ch. 1.14 + PRC §4291
Heavy RestrictionsOutdoor Burning
Open burning of yard waste, vegetation, debris and similar material is prohibited inside Chico city limits year-round, regardless of lot size or burn-day status. The rule is enforced by the Butte County Air Quality Management District (BCAQMD) under its Outdoor Residential Burning rule and by Chico Fire under CMC Ch. 16R.42 (which adopts the California Fire Code). Recreational fires, cooking fires and exempt devices listed in CMC 16R.42.070 (BBQs, fireplaces, gas heating) are still allowed if attended and CFC-compliant. In Chico's unincorporated 'sphere of influence,' residential burning is allowed only on lots of at least 0.90 acre, only on a declared permissive 'burn day,' and only between 8:45 a.m. and one hour before sunset.
Outdoor Burning Prohibited Citywide — BCAQMD Rule + CMC 16R.42.070
Heavy RestrictionsWildfire Zones
Chico adopts the California Fire Code via CMC 16R.42.010 — including Chapter 49 (Requirements for Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Areas). CAL FIRE released updated LRA Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps on March 24, 2025; parts of the eastern Chico foothill fringe (Skyway / Forest Ranch edge) are mapped as High and Very-High FHSZ within or just outside the city. New construction or substantial remodel in any FHSZ must meet California Building Code Chapter 7A (ignition-resistant materials, ember-resistant vents, Class A roofs, enclosed eaves). The 2018 Camp Fire — 10 miles east in Paradise / Magalia — drives unusually rigorous enforcement.
Fire Hazard Severity Zones & WUI Building Standards — CMC 16R.42 + Cal Fire Code Ch. 49
Heavy RestrictionsPropane Storage
Chico regulates propane/LP-gas storage primarily by adopting the California Fire Code via CMC 16R.42.010, with local amendments. CMC 16R.42.020 restricts above-ground tanks of flammable and combustible liquids, and CMC 16R.42.050 amends CFC §6104.3 — Restrictions on Container Location for storage of liquefied petroleum gases — limiting where larger LP-gas containers may be sited. For typical homeowners, small DOT propane cylinders (BBQs, patio heaters) up to 5 gallons / 20 lb water capacity are allowed and exempt under CFC §6103. Larger stationary tanks (>125 gallons) require Chico Fire plan review, separation distances per CFC Table 6104.3 and NFPA 58, and may be restricted in certain zones.
LP-Gas Container Location & Above-Ground Tanks — CMC 16R.42.020 / 16R.42.050
Some RestrictionsLooking for Butte County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Chico city rules.
Fire Regulations in Butte County →