5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 9 cities in Contra Costa County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Fire pits must comply with California Fire Code and BAAQMD regulations. Gas and propane preferred. Wood-burning restricted on Spare-the-Air days. Rules enforced by the local fire protection district.
All fireworks, including so-called safe and sane, are banned in unincorporated Contra Costa County. Possession, sale, or discharge carries criminal penalties and cost-recovery fines of up to $1,000 per device plus billing for fire response. Only permitted public displays by licensed pyrotechnicians are allowed.
Properties in State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones across unincorporated Contra Costa must maintain 100 feet of defensible space under Public Resources Code 4291. ConFire conducts annual inspections in the WUI, and non-compliance can trigger abatement, liens, and fines starting at $100 and escalating to misdemeanor charges.
California Public Resources Code § 4291(a)
(a) A person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in the state responsibility area shall at all times do all of the following: (1) (A) Maintain defensible space of 100 feet from each side and from the front and rear of the structure, but not beyond the property line, except as provided in subparagraph (B). The amount of fuel modification necessary shall con...
Open burning is prohibited in unincorporated Contra Costa County except under a narrow set of agricultural or hazard-reduction permits. Residential yard waste burning is banned year-round under BAAQMD Regulation 5, and wood smoke advisories add further restrictions during winter Spare the Air alerts.
Every dwelling in unincorporated Contra Costa must have working smoke alarms in each bedroom, outside every sleeping area, and on every floor per California Health and Safety Code 13113.7 and CRC R314. Alarms installed after 2015 must be 10-year sealed-battery or hardwired with battery backup, and carbon monoxide alarms are also required.
California Health & Safety Code § 13113.7(a)(1), (d)
(a) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, smoke alarms, approved and listed by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 13114 at the time of installation, shall be installed, in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions in each dwelling intended for human occupancy. (d) (1) The owner shall be responsible for testing and maintaining alarms in hotels, motels, lodging houses, a...
9 cities in Contra Costa County have their own fire regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
5 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
5 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
5 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
5 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
5 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
5 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
5 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
6 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
6 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
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