Fire Regulations in Walnut Creek, CA (2026)
5 verified fire regulations for Walnut Creek, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pit Rules
Residential fire pits must use gas or manufactured logs per BAAQMD. No wood fires. 25-ft setback from structures required. No use on Spare the Air days. WUI proximity makes compliance important.
Walnut Creek Fire Pit Rules
Some RestrictionsFireworks
All consumer fireworks — including "safe and sane" varieties — are completely BANNED in Walnut Creek year-round. Possession, sale, use, or discharge of any fireworks within city limits is a misdemeanor carrying fines up to $1,000 plus civil penalties, and offenders may be responsible for fire suppression costs.
Fire: Fireworks
Heavy RestrictionsBrush Clearance
Properties in Walnut Creek's Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and State Responsibility Area — including the city's eastern hills near Mount Diablo and along the Shell Ridge Open Space — must maintain 100 feet of defensible space under California Public Resources Code Section 4291, with specific Zone 0 (0–5 ft) ember-resistant clearance required under AB 3074.
Fire: Defensible Space
Heavy RestrictionsOutdoor Burning
Open burning is effectively prohibited in Walnut Creek. The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (ConFire) enforces a year-round ban on outdoor residential burning, and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) prohibits open burning of landscape waste, garbage, and construction debris under Regulation 5.
Fire: Open Burning
Heavy RestrictionsSmoke Detectors
Smoke alarms are required in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of a home in Walnut Creek under the California Residential Code and Health & Safety Code Sections 13113.7 and 13114. Alarms installed since 2015 must be 10-year sealed-battery or hardwired; carbon monoxide alarms are also mandatory.
Fire: Smoke Detectors
Some RestrictionsLooking for Contra Costa County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Walnut Creek city rules.
Fire Regulations in Contra Costa County →