Fire Regulations in Yakima, WA (2026)
8 verified fire regulations for Yakima, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pit Rules
Yakima regulates recreational fires through the 2021 Washington State Fire Code adopted under YMC Chapter 10.05. The state code (IFC Section 307.4.2) limits recreational fires to a fuel area not more than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height, requires a 25-foot setback from any structure or combustible material, and requires the fire to be constantly attended with extinguishing equipment on hand. Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency (YRCAA) burn-stage calls can override these rules and shut down all outdoor burning, including fire pits, on stagnant-air days.
Yakima Recreational Fire and Fire Pit Rules (2021 WA State Fire Code)
Some RestrictionsFireworks
Yakima Municipal Code 10.15.015 prohibits the storage, sale, possession, use, firing, or discharge of any fireworks within the City of Yakima. The ban was approved by special election in 1992 and predates the statewide preemption window in RCW 70.77.485, leaving Yakima as one of the most fireworks-restrictive cities in central Washington. Only licensed public displays permitted under RCW 70.77.260 and Chapter 212-17 WAC are allowed.
Yakima Fireworks Ban: All Consumer Fireworks Illegal
Heavy RestrictionsBrush Clearance
Yakima Municipal Code Chapter 11.40 (Property Maintenance Code) requires premises and exterior property to be maintained free from hazardous vegetation in excess of 12 inches in height. 'Hazardous vegetation' is defined as dry, combustible vegetation over 12 inches that may cause a fire hazard - including trees, shrubs, grass, weeds, bushes, vines, and yard debris. YMC 11.40 was adopted in March 2024 incorporating the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code with Yakima amendments and is the primary brush-clearance tool inside the city.
Yakima Hazardous Vegetation: 12-Inch Limit Under Property Maintenance Code
Some RestrictionsOutdoor Burning
Outdoor burning inside the City of Yakima is governed by the Washington Clean Air Act (RCW 70A.15), DNR forest-burning rules under RCW 76.04, and Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency (YRCAA) rules under WAC 173-425 and WAC 173-430. YRCAA Stage 1 (Yellow) and Stage 2 (Red) calls ban all outdoor burning countywide, expressly including outdoor fireplaces, fire bowls, fire pits, and similar devices. Yakima County also imposes an annual residential outdoor burn ban each summer (June 1 - September 1). Residential land-clearing burning is generally prohibited inside the urban-growth area.
Yakima Outdoor Burning: YRCAA Air-Quality Bans + WA Clean Air Act
Heavy RestrictionsWildfire Zones
The City of Yakima sits where the Yakima River valley meets the sagebrush-and-grass foothills of the Cascade rain shadow. The west edge of the city - West Valley, Cowiche Canyon, Nob Hill ridge, and the slopes climbing toward Wide Hollow and Naches - meets Yakima County's Wildland-Urban Interface zone managed under YCC Chapter 13.10. Washington's adoption of the 2021 Washington Wildland-Urban Interface Code (WAWUIC) was delayed by Senate Bill 6120 pending DNR's new statewide wildfire-hazard maps under RCW 19.27.560. Yakima continues to rely on YMC 10.05 (state fire code), YMC 11.40 (12-inch vegetation), and DNR fire-restriction calls under RCW 76.04.
Yakima Wildfire Risk: Foothills WUI Exposure on West Edge
Heavy RestrictionsSmoke Detectors
Smoke alarms in Yakima dwellings are required under RCW 43.44.110 and the Washington State Building Code at RCW 19.27 (which adopts the IRC/IBC statewide). Carbon monoxide alarms are required under RCW 19.27.530 in all new residential construction, in all rentals, and in single-family residences at sale. Smoke alarms must be installed by the owner; tenants are responsible for maintenance including batteries. Yakima Fire Department enforces through YMC Chapter 10.05 (2021 Washington State Fire Code).
Yakima Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Requirements (RCW 19.27.530 + RCW 43.44.110)
Heavy RestrictionsBackyard Fires
A backyard fire in Yakima must comply with three layers: (1) the 2021 Washington State Fire Code adopted at YMC Chapter 10.05 limits recreational fires to 3-foot-diameter, 2-foot-tall fuel areas with a 25-foot setback (IFC 307.4.2); (2) WAC 173-425 prohibits residential yard-waste/land-clearing burning inside cities and urban growth areas; and (3) Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency Stage 1/Stage 2 calls ban all outdoor fires - explicitly including fire pits and fire bowls - countywide. Charcoal, propane, and natural gas barbeques remain allowed.
Yakima Backyard Fires: Recreational Only, No Trash or Yard Waste
Heavy RestrictionsPropane Storage
Propane and LP-gas storage in Yakima are governed by Chapter 61 of the 2021 Washington State Fire Code (WAC 51-54A) adopted at YMC Chapter 10.05. IFC Section 308.1.4 prohibits open-flame cooking devices on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction, with exceptions for one- and two-family dwellings, fully sprinklered buildings, and LP-gas containers of 2.5 pounds or less. Larger commercial LP-gas installations require a permit from Yakima Fire Department under IFC Section 105.6. NFPA 58 supplies the technical standard.
Yakima Propane (LP-Gas) Storage Rules Under 2021 WA State Fire Code
Some RestrictionsLooking for Yakima County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Yakima city rules.
Fire Regulations in Yakima County →