Fire Regulations in Winston-Salem, NC (2026)
5 verified fire regulations for Winston-Salem, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
Winston-Salem exempts outdoor cooking and recreational fires from its bonfire permit requirement only if they're confined to a fire pit or chiminea set at least 25 feet from any structure and capped at three feet high and two feet wide.
Winston-Salem Fire Pit Rules
Some RestrictionsWinston-Salem Code of Ordinances § 22-6(f)
a "bonfire or rubbish fire" shall not include fires used solely for outdoor cooking and other recreational purposes when such fires are: (i) confined to a container (such as a fire pit or chiminea) which is subject to approval by the fire chief and/or their designee; (ii) located at least 25 feet away from any structure; ... and (v) are limited in size to no more than three feet in height and t...
Fireworks
Only ground-based sparkling devices (sparklers, fountains, snakes, smoke items) are legal in Winston-Salem under NCGS 14-410. All aerial fireworks, firecrackers, Roman candles, bottle rockets, and mortars are illegal statewide and the city cannot authorize them.
Fire: Fireworks
Heavy RestrictionsN.C.G.S. 14-410 and 14-414 (Sale, etc., of Pyrotechnics)
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, it shall be unlawful for any individual, firm, partnership or corporation to manufacture, purchase, sell, deal in, transport, possess, receive, advertise, use, handle, exhibit, or discharge any pyrotechnics of any description whatsoever within the State of North Carolina. (a1) It shall be permissible for pyrotechnics to be exhibited, used, handl...
Brush Clearance
Winston-Salem requires property owners to keep lots clear of accumulated brush, dead vegetation, and combustible debris that could spread fire. Enforcement is handled under the Code of Ordinances Chapter 46 (Nuisances) and the Fire Code.
Fire: Brush Clearance
Some RestrictionsN.C. Forest Service - Fire Safety Outdoors (Debris Burning, Burn Bans)
Debris Burning: Check for any burning bans or fire restrictions that may be in effect for your area. Some communities allow burning only during specified hours while others forbid it entirely. Make sure to get a valid burn permit. Contact your NCFS county ranger's office for the names and locations of the nearest local permitting agent or use our online burning permit system. Keep an eye on the...
Outdoor Burning
Winston-Salem requires a permit before kindling or maintaining any bonfire or rubbish fire on private or public ground, though small contained recreational fires are exempt from the permit rule.
Winston-Salem Outdoor Burning Permit Rule
Significant RestrictionsWinston-Salem Code of Ordinances § 22-6(f)
No person shall kindle or maintain any bonfire or rubbish fire or authorize any such fire to be kindled or maintained on any private property, or on or in any public ground, without a permit or other proper authorization. For purposes of this article, a "bonfire or rubbish fire" shall not include fires used solely for outdoor cooking and other recreational purposes when such fires are: ... loca...
Smoke Detectors
Winston-Salem enforces the NC State Building Code and NC Residential Code, which require working smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every level. Rental units must have working alarms at the start of each tenancy under NCGS 42-42.
Fire: Smoke Detectors
Heavy RestrictionsN.C.G.S. 42-42(a)(5)-(5a) (Landlord to provide fit premises)
(5) Provide operable smoke alarms, either battery-operated or electrical, having an Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., listing or other equivalent national testing laboratory approval, and install the smoke alarms in accordance with either the standards of the National Fire Protection Association or the minimum protection designated in the manufacturer's instructions, which the landlord shall re...
Looking for Forsyth County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Winston-Salem city rules.
Fire Regulations in Forsyth County →