8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Forsyth County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Recreational fires must be confined to a container such as a fire pit or chiminea, kept no larger than 3 feet high and 2 feet in diameter, and located at least 25 feet from any structure. In Winston-Salem the Fire Department must approve the container.
Winston-Salem Fire Department — Recreational fire requirements
Confined to a container (such as a fire pit or chiminea) which is subject to approval by the Fire Chief and/or their designee; Limited in size to no more than 3 feet in height and 2 feet in diameter; Located at least 25 feet away from any structure.
North Carolina bans most consumer fireworks countywide. Only non-aerial, non-explosive novelties (wire sparklers, fountains, snakes, smoke devices, party poppers) are allowed. Firecrackers, Roman candles, bottle rockets and all aerial shells are illegal statewide, including Forsyth County.
N.C.G.S. 14-410(a)
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.
Land-clearing open burning of cleared vegetation requires registration and an in-person office visit with Forsyth County. It must be at least 500 feet from dwellings, burned only between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., contain no man-made materials, and needs an N.C. Forest Service permit.
Forsyth County EAP — Land Clearing Open Burning
Land-clearing open burning is the burning of uprooted or cleared vegetation in connection with the construction of buildings; right-of-way; residential, commercial, or industrial development; mining activities; or initial clearing of vegetation to enhance property value.
Residential open burning of leaves and yard trimmings is only allowed where no yard-waste pickup is provided, so it is banned inside Winston-Salem. Where allowed, burning may start no earlier than 8:00 a.m., must be on your own property, and cannot create a nuisance.
Forsyth County EAP — Residential Open Burning
The burning must start no earlier than 8:00 a.m. and no additional combustible material may be added to the fire between 6:00 p.m. on one day and 8:00 a.m. on the following day.
Forsyth County is not a designated high wildfire-hazard zone and imposes no defensible-space mandate. Wildfire preparedness is handled voluntarily through the N.C. Forest Service Firewise program, which recommends clearing the home ignition zone and using fire-resistant landscaping.
North Carolina law requires landlords to provide operable smoke alarms and, in units with fuel-burning appliances or an attached garage, carbon monoxide alarms. Since 2013, replacement smoke alarms must be tamper-resistant 10-year lithium-battery models. New homes must meet the state building code.
Small recreational backyard fires are allowed if contained and kept small, but burning yard waste for disposal is treated as open burning and is banned inside Winston-Salem where pickup exists. The Fire Department does not issue permits for burning yard waste or land clearing.
Winston-Salem Fire Department — Recreational fires
WSFD does NOT issue permits for burning of yard waste or the clearing on land.
Forsyth County follows the North Carolina Fire Code, which requires all LP-gas equipment to be installed per NFPA 58 and NFPA 59. Portable cylinders must be stored outdoors, upright, and away from ignition sources; large stationary tanks require setbacks and, for bulk plants, permits.
NC Fire Code (IFC) Chapter 61, LP-Gas
All liquefied petroleum gas equipment shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of NFPA 58 and NFPA 59, except as otherwise provided in this chapter or in other statutes or regulations.
1 cities in Forsyth County have their own fire regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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