Fire Regulations in Winston-Salem, NC (2026)
7 verified fire regulations for Winston-Salem, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pit Rules
Winston-Salem permits recreational fire pits under the NC Fire Code (Section 307) when fires are contained, attended, and set back at least 25 feet from structures. Portable gas and propane pits are allowed closer to buildings (15 feet) and are exempt from most open-burn restrictions.
Fire: Fire Pit Rules
Some RestrictionsFireworks
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
Open burning inside Winston-Salem city limits is largely prohibited. NC Air Quality rules (15A NCAC 02D .1903) and the NC 4 PM burning rule also apply: even where permitted, fires may only be started between 6 PM and 8 AM, and no burning is allowed after 4 PM outside that window.
Fire: Outdoor Burning
Heavy RestrictionsWildfire Zones
Winston-Salem is not in a designated high-severity wildfire zone, but wooded neighborhoods along Salem Creek, Muddy Creek, and the western edge near Pilot Mountain foothills carry elevated grass-and-forest fire risk during spring (Mar-May) and fall (Oct-Nov) fire seasons tracked by the NC Forest Service.
Fire: Wildfire Zones
Some RestrictionsSmoke 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...
Backyard Fires
Small backyard recreational and cooking fires are allowed in Winston-Salem if contained, attended, and fueled only by clean wood or approved fuel. Leaf burning and trash burning are prohibited inside city limits under Chapter 26 and NC air-quality rules.