Fire Regulations in Forsyth County, NC (2026)
5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Forsyth County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
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.
Recreational Fire Pit Rules in Forsyth County
Some RestrictionsWinston-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.
Fireworks
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.
Consumer Fireworks Are Restricted in Forsyth County
Some RestrictionsN.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.
Brush Clearance
Forsyth County bars piling fast-burning pine straw or similar landscape cover within ten feet of a dwelling that has combustible siding like vinyl, aluminum, or wood. Single- and two-family homes are exempt, and fallen pine straw from the same lot's own trees does not count, but violations carry the fire code's misdemeanor penalty.
Combustible Landscaping Rule in Forsyth County
Some RestrictionsForsyth County Code Sec. 10-15
Sec. 10-15 - Use of combustible landscaping materials. No pine straw mulch or any other landscape cover material with a fire rate of spread more than twenty-four (24) inches per minute shall be placed, kept, or stored within ten (10) feet of dwellings with combustible exterior construction including, but not limited to, vinyl, aluminum, Masonite or similar material, or wood siding. This provisi...
Outdoor Burning
Forsyth County Code Sec. 19-10(b) strictly prohibits open burning of solid waste or recovered material anywhere in the county's solid waste program, with no seasonal or permit exception written into the section. The same chapter separately bans dumping that waste in an open dump under Sec. 19-9(f) and Sec. 19-11, and backs both bans with the same misdemeanor and civil penalties.
Open Burning of Solid Waste Banned in Forsyth County
Heavy RestrictionsForsyth County Code § 19-10(b)
(a)Additional regulations pertaining to the management of solid waste and recovered material other than set forth in this chapter may be promulgated pursuant to this chapter by the board of county commissioners.(b)Open burning of solid waste or recovered material is strictly prohibited.
Smoke Detectors
Forsyth County's Minimum Housing Standards require a working smoke detector on every floor level of a dwelling, positioned outside each sleeping area near the bedrooms and kitchen. Homes with an attached garage or fossil-fuel heat must also carry carbon monoxide detectors. The county housing administrator enforces this under Article VI of the county code.
Smoke & CO Detector Rule in Forsyth County
Some RestrictionsForsyth County Code Sec. 7-116(b)
Sec. 7-116. - Minimum standards for ventilation. (b)Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Smoke detectors shall be required on each floor level, outside of each sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedroom and the kitchen area. Additionally, carbon monoxide detectors shall be required in all homes with attached garages and homes heated with fossil fuels.
Fire Regulations by City in Forsyth County
1 cities in Forsyth County have their own fire regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Forsyth County ordinances
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