Fire Regulations in Hayward, CA (2026)
7 verified fire regulations for Hayward, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
A backyard fire pit or bonfire in Hayward doesn't need a permit if it's only used for cooking under Section 3-1.20, but any open recreational fire used for something else, like a bonfire for warmth or ambiance, needs an annual Bonfire Permit and must sit at least 20 feet from any building and 5 feet from any property line under Section 3-1.29.
Hayward Recreational Fire Pit Setbacks
Some RestrictionsHayward Municipal Code Sec. 3-1.29 (Location of Fires)
No bonfire shall be burned within twenty (20) feet of any building, or within five (5) feet of any property line. No Type 2 incinerators shall be constructed or operated within five (5) feet of any building, or within five (5) feet of any property line. No Type 3 incinerators shall be constructed or operated within ten (10) feet of any building or within five (5) feet of any property line.
Fireworks
Hayward bans all private fireworks use citywide: Municipal Code Section 3-3.00 makes it unlawful for any person, property owner or social host to ignite, explode or otherwise use fireworks anywhere in the city, including on their own property or within 100 feet of any home, and holds the host or owner liable for unlawful use at their property. Only a jointly approved public display is exempt.
Fireworks Ban in Hayward
Heavy RestrictionsHayward Municipal Code Sec. 3-3.00 (Firearms and Fireworks)
It shall be unlawful for any person, property owner or social host, to ignite, explode, project, or otherwise fire or use any fireworks, or permit the ignition, explosion or projection thereof, upon private property or over onto the property of another, or within one hundred (100) feet of any residence dwelling or other structure used as a place of habitation by human beings. Any person, social...
Brush Clearance
Properties in the Hayward hills Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone must maintain 100 feet of defensible space under California Public Resources Code 4291.
Hayward Brush Clearance and Defensible Space
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Public Resources Code Section 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 shall con...
Outdoor Burning
Hayward bans igniting or maintaining any outdoor fire for burning rubbish, other than for cooking, without first getting a permit from the Fire Chief under Municipal Code Section 3-1.20. Permits come in three types under Section 3-1.22, run for one year, and are subject to strict burning hours, material bans and setback distances the Fire Chief can revoke at will.
Hayward Outside Fire Permit Rule
Some RestrictionsHayward Municipal Code Sec. 3-1.20 (Outside Fires; Permit Required)
It shall be unlawful for any person to ignite or maintain a fire, for other than cooking purposes, outside a building for the purpose of burning rubbish without first having obtained a permit therefor as herein provided.
Wildfire Zones
Hayward's eastern foothills are mapped as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone by CAL FIRE, triggering defensible space and building code requirements.
Hayward Wildfire Hazard Zones
Some RestrictionsCAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zones (PRC 4201-4204; Gov. Code 51175-89)
What are Fire Hazard Severity Zones? The State Fire Marshal is mandated to classify lands within State Responsibility Areas into Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ). Fire Hazard Severity Zones fall into one of the following classifications: Moderate High Very High The California laws that require Fire Hazard Severity Zones include California Public Resources Code 4201-4204, California Code of Reg...
Smoke Detectors
Hayward requires working smoke alarms in every bedroom, hallway, and level per California Building Code and Health and Safety Code 13113.7.
Hayward Smoke Detector Requirements
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Health and Safety Code Section 13113.7
(a) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, smoke alarms, approved and listed by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 13114 at the time of installation, shall be installed, in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions in each dwelling intended for human occupancy. (2) For all dwelling units intended for human occupancy for which a building permit is issued on or after Janu...
Propane Storage
Hayward caps how much propane a mobile home site can store and dictates exactly how the cylinders sit. Municipal Code Sec. 5-3.550, part of the city's mobile home park regulations, limits sites to two cylinders of no more than 100 pounds each, bolted to a concrete pad and kept away from structures.
Hayward Mobile Home Park LP-Gas Storage Limits
Some RestrictionsHayward, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 5-3.550 (Liquefied Petroleum Gas Requirements)
No more than two (2) cylinders of not more than ten (10) gallons capacity each shall be located on any trailer coach, and shall be securely but not permanently fastened to the trailer coach hitch bracket and shall not be located under or within a trailer coach. No more than two (2) cylinders, none of which shall have a greater capacity than one hundred (100) pounds, shall be located on a mobile...
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County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Hayward city rules.
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