8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 4 cities in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.
Verified from official government sources
There is no county-wide backyard fire pit ordinance; recreational fires on private property are governed by each city, village, or town fire code. On county parks, Ordinance 47.05(4) allows a fire only in a place the county provides.
Milwaukee County Gen. Ord. 47.05(4)
No person shall make or kindle a fire for any purpose except in places provided therefor, and then subject to such regulations as may be prescribed.
Consumer fireworks in Wisconsin are governed by Wis. Stat. 167.10 and by each city, village, or town, not the county. Sparklers under 36 inches, caps, and poppers are exempt; aerial and exploding items need a local user's permit.
Wis. Stat. 167.10(3)(a)
No person may possess or use fireworks without a user's permit from the mayor of the city, president of the village or chairperson of the town.
Milwaukee County is fully urbanized and is not a wildfire or defensible-space region, so there is no county-wide brush-clearance mandate. Overgrown weeds on private lots are nuisance matters handled by each city, village, or town.
Open burning in Wisconsin is regulated by the DNR under NR 429 and by each municipality, not by Milwaukee County. NR 429.04 allows only small amounts of dry rubbish, leaves, and clippings unless a local ordinance bans it. Most urban municipalities prohibit residential burning.
Wis. Admin. Code NR 429.04(1)(L)
Burning of small amounts of dry leaves and dry plant clippings except where prohibited by local ordinance.
Milwaukee County is a fully urbanized metro county on the Lake Michigan shoreline and is not a wildfire or wildland-urban-interface region. There are no fire hazard severity zones, defensible-space mandates, or WUI building requirements here.
Smoke detector rules in Milwaukee County come from Wisconsin state law, Wis. Stat. 101.145, not a county ordinance. Owners must install detectors in the basement, at each stairway head, and in or near each sleeping area, on penalty of up to $50 per day.
Wis. Stat. 101.145(5)
Whoever violates this section shall forfeit to the state not more than $50 for each day of violation.
There is no Milwaukee County ordinance for backyard recreational fires; those follow each city, village, or town fire code plus DNR open-burning rules. On county parks, Ordinance 47.05(4) allows a fire only in a place the county provides.
Milwaukee County Gen. Ord. 47.05(4)
No person shall make or kindle a fire for any purpose except in places provided therefor, and then subject to such regulations as may be prescribed.
Propane storage in Milwaukee County is regulated by Wisconsin's state code (SPS 340 adopting NFPA 58) and each municipal fire code, not a county ordinance. Household barbecue cylinders are generally exempt; larger tanks need permits and setbacks.
4 cities in Milwaukee County have their own fire regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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