Fire Regulations in Fullerton, CA (2026)
5 verified fire regulations for Fullerton, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
Backyard recreational fires are allowed in Fullerton at one- and two-family homes only if contained in an approved device (BBQ, fire pit, fire ring, gas grill, or outdoor fireplace), kept 30 feet from combustible vegetation, supervised by an adult with water on hand, and not used during winds over 8 MPH, red flag warnings, or SCAQMD no-burn alerts.
Backyard recreational fires: strict conditions in Fullerton
Light RestrictionsFullerton Municipal Code § 13.20.150
Outdoor, open burning and recreational fires shall not be built, ignited or maintained when predicted sustained winds exceed 8 MPH at the ground level, or a red flag condition has been declared.
Fireworks
Only California-State-Fire-Marshal-approved 'safe and sane' fireworks are legal in Fullerton, and only on July 4 between 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. All other fireworks, including skyrockets, firecrackers, and aerial shells, are illegal under both city and California state law.
Safe and sane fireworks only on July 4 in Fullerton
Heavy RestrictionsCalifornia Health & Safety Code § 12677
It is unlawful for any person to possess dangerous fireworks without holding a valid permit.
Brush Clearance
Fullerton requires property owners to maintain defensible space by clearing dry vegetation. The Fullerton Fire Department enforces vegetation management standards, particularly in hillside areas and the wildland-urban interface.
Fullerton Brush & Vegetation Clearance
Significant RestrictionsCal. Pub. Resources Code § 4291 (Defensible Space Requirements)
4291. (a) A person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in the state responsibility area shall at all times do all of the following: (1) (A) Maintain defensible space of 100 feet from each side and from the front and rear of the structure, but not beyond the property line, except as provided in subparagraph (B). The amount of fuel modification necessary sha...
Outdoor Burning
Open burning of vegetation, yard waste, and trash is effectively prohibited in Fullerton under South Coast AQMD Rule 444 and Fullerton Municipal Code § 13.20.150. Only contained recreational fires meeting fuel, distance, supervision, and wind conditions are allowed, and SCAQMD no-burn alerts override even those.
Open burning generally prohibited; narrow recreational exception
Heavy RestrictionsCalifornia Public Resources Code § 4291
Maintain defensible space of 100 feet from each side and from the front and rear of the structure, but not beyond the property line.
Wildfire Zones
Fullerton has adopted CAL FIRE's March 2025 Local Responsibility Area map designating very high, high and moderate fire hazard severity zones under Fullerton Code of Ordinances Section 13.19.010. Owners inside these mapped zones must follow the Fire Department's fuel modification and brush clearance standards, and code violations that create a fire hazard are enforced as a public nuisance.
Fullerton Fire Hazard Severity Zone Rules
Significant RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 13.19.010
City Council establishes fire hazard severity zones and declares those areas designated by the State Director of Forestry and Fire Protection within the jurisdiction of the city, as depicted in the map titled "City of Fullerton - Orange County; Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zones" published by CAL FIRE on March 24, 2025. These zones include very high, high and moderate fire haz...
Looking for Orange County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Fullerton city rules.
Fire Regulations in Orange County →