Fire Regulations in Portland, ME (2026)
4 verified fire regulations for Portland, Maine, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
Campfires are allowed in Portland only with a valid burning permit under Sec. 10-92. Permitted fires must comply with state law, Chapter 10, and any rules the fire chief has issued for recreational outdoor fires, and the fire chief can cancel a permit for cause at any time.
Portland, ME Backyard Campfires Require a Permit
Some RestrictionsPortland Code of Ordinances § 10-92
Camp fires are permitted within the City of Portland with a valid burning permit. All such campfires shall comply with all State laws, this Chapter, and all rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this Chapter for recreational outdoor fires. Any such burning permit may be cancelled for cause.
Fireworks
Portland Code of Ordinances Sec. 17-32 bans using, possessing with intent to use, selling or offering to sell consumer fireworks anywhere in the city. The only carve-out is a fireworks display permit issued by the City of Portland and/or the State of Maine under 8 M.R.S.A. § 227-A. Violators face fines starting at $200 for use and $500 for sale, with steeper penalties for repeat offenses.
Portland, ME Bans Consumer Fireworks
Heavy RestrictionsPortland Code of Ordinances § 17-32
(b) Prohibition. No person shall use, possess with the intent to use, sell, possess with the intent to sell or offer for sale consumer fireworks in the City of Portland.* (c) Exception. This section does not apply to a person issued a fireworks display permit by the City of Portland and/or the State of Maine pursuant to 8 M.R.S.A. §227-A. (d) Penalties. (1) Any person who uses consumer firework...
Outdoor Burning
Portland's Code of Ordinances bans burning or incinerating solid waste anywhere in the city, with narrow exceptions for licensed hazardous or infectious waste disposal and city-designated public solid waste facilities. Other outdoor fires, campfires and outdoor fireplaces, fall under separate permit and setback rules in the same Article VII.
Portland, ME Open Burning of Solid Waste Banned
Significant RestrictionsPortland Code of Ordinances § 10-91
Except for licensed disposal of hazardous or infectious wastes and for the operation of public solid waste disposal facilities designated pursuant to section 12-102, it shall be unlawful for any person to burn or incinerate any solid waste within the City of Portland.
Smoke Detectors
Portland's Fire Prevention Code amends NFPA 101 to require hardwired, interconnected, photoelectric smoke alarms in all new construction and major renovations. Existing one- and two-family homes may instead install 10-year sealed lithium battery photoelectric alarms. The fire chief, as authority having jurisdiction, enforces the standard and may approve newer alarm technology offering equal protection under Code of Ordinances § 10-3(4).
Smoke Alarm Rules in Portland, Maine
Some RestrictionsPortland Code of Ordinances § 10-3(4) (Chapter 10, Fire Prevention and Protection, Rev. 11-4-2019)
(4) Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary, smoke alarms and/or detection shall be subject to the following additional requirements: a. All smoke alarms and/or detection in new construction or major renovations shall be hardwired with battery backup, shall be interconnected, and shall use photoelectric technology. b. All smoke alarms and/or detection in new installations, except in exis...