8 rules for unincorporated Mono County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Outdoor fire pits in unincorporated Mono County are tightly restricted during fire season. The county has adopted urgency ordinances (e.g., Ord. 21-08) prohibiting open fires - campfires, bonfires, fire pits, and any open-flame fire - on private property and in county campgrounds during extreme fire danger. Propane and charcoal cooking BBQs are exempt.
In unincorporated Mono County, fireworks - including state-approved 'Safe and Sane' fireworks - are prohibited under Mono County Code Chapter 10.18 except in limited designated areas. Almost all of the county is federal forest (Inyo NF, Humboldt-Toiyabe NF) where all fireworks are banned year-round.
Unincorporated Mono County requires defensible space under its Fire Safe Regulation (General Plan Chapter 22, Section 22.150), which adopts Public Resources Code 4291 and Government Code 51182: a 30-foot firebreak around structures and a 30-100-foot reduced-fuel zone. Tree branches must be kept 10 feet from chimney/stovepipe outlets.
Open outdoor burning in unincorporated Mono County is regulated by the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (GBUAPCD) under Rules 406-411 and by CAL FIRE/USFS burn permits. Pile burning of dry natural vegetation is allowed only with a valid permit on a permissive burn day; burning trash or residential waste is never allowed in California.
Nearly all of unincorporated Mono County is a CAL FIRE State Responsibility Area within Fire Hazard Severity Zones (Moderate, High, or Very High), and the county's Fire Safe Regulation (General Plan Chapter 22) applies SRA fire-safe building standards. Parcels in these zones face defensible-space, roofing, access, water, and disclosure requirements.
Mono County does not publish a unique county smoke-alarm ordinance for unincorporated areas; smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements come from California state law. Health & Safety Code 13113.8 requires operable smoke alarms in dwellings, and Section 17926 requires carbon monoxide alarms in units with fuel-burning appliances, fireplaces, or attached garages.
Backyard/recreational fires in unincorporated Mono County are restricted during fire season. Mono County urgency ordinances (e.g., Ord. 21-08) ban campfires, bonfires, and open-flame fires on private property during extreme fire danger, exempting propane and charcoal cooking BBQs. When allowed, a California Campfire Permit and defensible space are required.
Propane (LPG) storage in unincorporated Mono County follows the California Fire Code (Chapter 61) and NFPA 58, enforced through the county's building and fire review. Residential above-ground tanks must meet setback distances - commonly 10 feet from buildings, property lines, and ignition sources for typical 250-500-gallon tanks - and must be kept clear of vegetation.
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