Fire Regulations in Janesville, WI (2026)
4 verified fire regulations for Janesville, Wisconsin, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
Sec. 16-189(a) of the Janesville Code of General Ordinances allows wood-fired recreational fires only in commercially manufactured, above-ground campfire pits fitted with a lid and spark screen, kept at least 25 feet from any building, fence, deck, woodpile or dry vegetation. Pits cannot burn once winds hit 20 mph and must be watched by a responsible adult with a garden hose ready until fully out.
Janesville Campfire Pit Setback and Wind Rules
Some RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 16-189
(a)All wood-fired outdoor cooking and recreational fires are subject to the following rules: ... (2)Wood-fired outdoor recreational fires are only allowed in above ground, commercially-manufactured, portable, campfire pits, herein referred to as campfire pit, that is manufactured with a lid and screening around the burning area to prevent sparks from escaping except as provided in Section 16-18...
Fireworks
Sec. 16-217 of the Janesville Code of General Ordinances bans possessing, buying, storing, selling, displaying, igniting or exploding fireworks or firecrackers prohibited by the State of Wisconsin, unless done consistent with the article's permit scheme. Public fireworks displays and consumer firework stands each need a nontransferable City permit, and Sec. 16-224 fines violators $200.00 to $2,000.00 per offense.
Janesville Bans Fireworks Without a City Permit
Heavy RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances §§ 16-217, 16-224
No person may possess, purchase, attempt to purchase, store, handle, use, expose or offer for sale, sell, attempt to sell, display, discharge, ignite, attempt to ignite, explode or attempt to explode any firework, firework devices, firecracker or other volatile item defined and prohibited by the State of Wisconsin or any of its Administrative Agencies, except as allowed by and in a manner consi...
Outdoor Burning
In the City of Janesville, Sec. 16-188 of the Code of General Ordinances bans burning rubbish, trash, leaves or debris anywhere in the city except under three narrow carve-outs for City-supervised leaf burning, permitted commercial incinerators and Fire Department training burns. Any outdoor fire that creates smoke, ash or a nuisance for neighbors must be extinguished on an officer's order, and violations draw the Article II Fire Code forfeiture.
Janesville Bans Open Burning of Rubbish
Significant RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances §§ 16-188, 16-196
(a)No person shall burn rubbish, trash, leaves, or debris, except as permitted in Section 16-188(b)—(d) anywhere within the City or in any cooking device or in any campfire pit. ... (f)Smoke, ash, and fire from any outdoor fire of any kind shall not create a nuisance for neighboring properties, and fires shall be completely extinguished when any police officer, code inspector , Fire Marshal, or...
Smoke Detectors
In the City of Janesville, every owner, possessor or occupant of a regulated structure or dwelling must install and maintain approved, fully operable smoke detectors under Sec. 16-33 of the Code of General Ordinances. The ordinance adopts every Wisconsin and federal smoke-detector statute, administrative code and standard by reference, so state installation and testing rules apply directly as city law enforceable by the Fire Department.
Janesville Smoke Alarm Requirement for All Dwellings
Some RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances §§ 16-33, 16-35
Each and every owner, possessor and/or occupant of a structure and/or dwelling regulated by this article shall install or have installed, and all structures and dwellings regulated by this article shall at all times contain, approved and fully operable smoke detectors. ... Each and every person who violates any provision of this article shall forfeit and pay to the City a penalty in an amount o...
Looking for Rock County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Janesville city rules.
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