Fire Regulations in San Francisco, CA (2026)
8 verified fire regulations for San Francisco, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pit Rules
Outdoor fire pits burning wood or solid fuels are prohibited on Spare the Air Alert days under BAAQMD Regulation 6, Rule 3. In the dense urban environment of San Francisco, open fires are effectively banned year-round by a combination of BAAQMD restrictions and SF Fire Code. Gas-fueled fire pits are allowed when not prohibited by building rules. Beach fires at Ocean Beach are banned by the National Park Service.
San Francisco Fire Pit Rules
Heavy RestrictionsFireworks
San Francisco Police Code Article 9 and the SF Fire Code prohibit the sale, possession, and discharge of all fireworks within city limits, including state-approved Safe and Sane fireworks legal elsewhere in California.
Fireworks Banned in San Francisco
Heavy RestrictionsBrush Clearance
San Francisco Fire Code Section 4906 requires defensible space and vegetation management on properties adjacent to wildland-urban interface zones, including Mount Davidson, Twin Peaks, and Glen Canyon Park edges.
Defensible Space and Brush Clearance
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Public Resources Code Sec. 4291 (Defensible Space — 100 Feet from Structures in State Responsibility Areas)
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... The intensity of fuels management may vary within the 100-foot perimeter of the str...
Outdoor Burning
San Francisco Fire Code Section 307 and Bay Area Air Quality Management District rules ban open outdoor burning of yard waste, debris, and trash citywide. Recreational fire features have narrow exceptions under SFFD permit.
Outdoor Burning Prohibited in San Francisco
Heavy RestrictionsWildfire Zones
San Francisco has minimal designated State Responsibility Area wildfire hazard zones due to its dense urban character. Cal Fire Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps show only small areas near Mt. Davidson, Twin Peaks, and the Presidio edges as moderate/high wildfire risk. Defensible-space rules apply in those few zones.
Wildfire Zones in San Francisco
Few RestrictionsSmoke Detectors
San Francisco Housing Code Section 1301 and California Health & Safety Code 13113.7 require working smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every floor. Hardwired with battery backup is required for new construction; 10-year sealed battery alarms acceptable for existing single-family homes.
Smoke Detector Rules in San Francisco
Heavy RestrictionsCalifornia Health and Safety Code Section 13113.7(a)
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 a...
Backyard Fires
Open burning is prohibited in San Francisco under Fire Code Section 307 and BAAQMD Regulation 5. Only contained recreational fires in approved appliances with clean fuel are allowed. Fire pits, chimineas, and propane heaters are regulated, and spare-the-air days ban all solid-fuel burning.
Backyard Fire Rules in San Francisco
Heavy RestrictionsPropane Storage
San Francisco Fire Code Chapter 61 limits residential propane (LPG) cylinder storage to small portable tanks for grills and patio heaters, with strict ventilation, distance, and quantity rules to prevent fire hazards.