Fire Regulations in Sunnyvale, CA (2026)
5 verified fire regulations for Sunnyvale, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fireworks
Sunnyvale outlaws fireworks entirely. Municipal Code Section 16.52.5601 declines to adopt Chapter 56 of the International Fire Code except for one clause it keeps specifically to ban fireworks: possessing, manufacturing, storing, selling, handling or using any firework, including Safe and Sane fireworks the State Fire Marshal authorizes elsewhere in California, is prohibited citywide. The rule was last reaffirmed by Ordinance 3247-25 on October 21, 2025.
Sunnyvale Fireworks Possession and Use Ban
Heavy RestrictionsSunnyvale, CA, Municipal Code § 16.52.5601 (Explosives and fireworks), Chapter 16.52 Fire Code
Chapter 56 of the 2024 International Fire Code is not adopted with the exception of the following section: 5601.1.3 Fireworks. The possession, manufacture, storage, sale, handling, and use of fireworks, including those fireworks classified as Safe and Sane by the California State Fire Marshal, are prohibited.
Brush Clearance
Sunnyvale requires property owners to maintain defensible space and remove dead vegetation as a fire hazard. The city conducts annual weed abatement inspections under Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 9.48.
Brush Clearance Rules in Sunnyvale
Some RestrictionsCalifornia Public Resources Code § 4291(a)(1)(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 structure, ...
Outdoor Burning
Sunnyvale makes it unlawful for anyone to burn discarded materials anywhere in the city. Municipal Code Section 8.16.070, part of the Solid Waste, Recyclable Materials and Organic Materials chapter, bans burning trash, recyclables, and organic material that would otherwise go into collection service, rather than allowing residents to dispose of waste with a backyard burn pile or barrel fire.
Sunnyvale Ban on Burning Discarded Materials
Heavy RestrictionsSunnyvale, CA, Municipal Code § 8.16.070 (Discarded materials - Burning prohibited), Chapter 8.16 Solid Waste, Recyclable Materials and Organic Materials
§ 8.16.070. Discarded materials––Burning prohibited. It is unlawful for any person to burn discarded materials within the city.
Wildfire Zones
Sunnyvale is not located in any Cal Fire Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. The city sits on the flat Santa Clara Valley floor without wildland-urban interface areas requiring special fire hardening.
Wildfire Zones in Sunnyvale
Some RestrictionsCAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal — Fire Hazard Severity Zones (PRC §§ 4201-4204; 14 CCR § 1280; Gov. Code §§ 51175-51189)
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 Regulations Title 14, Section 1280 an...
Propane Storage
Sunnyvale requires a fire department operational permit to store or use LP-gas under Municipal Code Section 16.52.105(q), which locally amends California Fire Code Section 105.5.29. Homeowners are exempt for individual propane tanks up to 500 gallons water capacity at Group R-3 residences, and for grill-connected cylinders up to 48 pounds unless used commercially or at a public assembly.
Sunnyvale Propane and LP-Gas Storage Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsSunnyvale, CA, Municipal Code § 16.52.105(q) (LP-gas) [locally amending Cal. Fire Code § 105.5.29], Chapter 16.52 Fire Code
[A] 105.5.29 LP-gas. An operational permit is required for: 1. Storage and use of LP-gas. Exceptions: 1. A permit is not required for individual containers with a 500-gallon (1,893 L) water capacity or less or multiple container systems having an aggregate quantity not exceeding 500 gallons (1,893 L), serving occupancies in Group R-3. 2. A permit is not required for LP-gas containers having a w...
Looking for Santa Clara County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Sunnyvale city rules.
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