Fire Regulations in Wausau, WI (2026)
4 verified fire regulations for Wausau, Wisconsin, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
Wausau allows recreational fires at single-family and two-family homes only inside a fire pit under Municipal Code § 17.24.020(b), capped at a three-foot diameter and two feet of flame height, set back 25 feet from any structure and ten feet from the lot line. A City Clerk permit valid up to five years is required, and fires can only run between noon and midnight.
Recreational Fire Pit Rules in Wausau, WI
Some RestrictionsWausau Municipal Code § 17.24.020(b)
(3)No recreational fire may be started or allowed to continue burning unless such recreational fire is contained in a fire pit.(4)All recreational fires shall not have a diameter larger than three feet nor may the fire extend more than two feet above the fire pit. All below-ground fire pits shall be at least four inches in depth and shall be surrounded on the outside, above ground, by a noncomb...
Fireworks
Wausau bans consumer fireworks by adopting Wisconsin's fireworks statute, Wis. Stat. § 167.10, into the Municipal Code, so anyone who sets off fireworks without a state permit inside city limits violates local law. The city adds its own wholesale-storage rules: fire extinguishers, a smoking ban, and a 50-foot setback from any dwelling for stock awaiting shipment outside Wausau.
Fireworks Rules in Wausau, WI
Significant RestrictionsWausau Municipal Code §§ 9.12.010, 9.12.020
Section 167.10 of the Wisconsin Statutes, regulating the sale and use of fireworks, exclusive of penalties, is adopted by reference as part of this Code. ... Nothing in Section 167.10 of the Wisconsin Statutes, shall be construed to prohibit any resident wholesaler, dealer or jobber from selling fireworks at wholesale, provided the same are shipped or delivered directly outside the limits of th...
Outdoor Burning
Wausau bans open burning, refuse burning, burn barrels and outdoor wood boilers citywide under Municipal Code § 17.24.010, with narrow exceptions for grills, propane or gas outdoor fireplaces, fire-protection training and permits issued under § 17.24.020. The Fire Chief can halt any allowed burning and revoke permits whenever weather conditions make open flames dangerous or send noxious smoke onto neighboring property.
Outdoor Burning Ban in Wausau, WI
Heavy RestrictionsWausau Municipal Code § 17.24.010
Except as provided for in section 17.24.020, opening burning, outdoor burning, refuse burning, burn barrels, and outdoor wood boilers are prohibited in the City of Wausau, except for: (a)Cooking with gas or charcoal on portable or permanent grills. ... (c)Approved training for fire-protection purposes.(d)Even when open burning is one of the allowed exceptions or allowed by permit, the Fire Chie...
Smoke Detectors
Every building in Wausau with one or more residential occupancies or dwelling units must have the minimum smoke detectors required by state law in each occupancy or unit. Municipal Code § 15.04.073 folds the Wis. Stat. §§ 101.145 and 101.645 smoke-detector standards directly into the City's own building code.
Smoke Detector Requirement, Wausau WI
Some RestrictionsWausau Municipal Code § 15.04.073
In every building containing one or more residential occupancies or dwelling units, each occupancy or unit shall be provided with the minimum smoke detectors required by Wis. Stats. §§ 101.145 and 101.645.
Looking for Marathon County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Wausau city rules.
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