8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Passaic County, New Jersey.
Verified from official government sources
Passaic County does not regulate backyard fire pits; each municipality and its fire official enforce the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code. Recreational fires in an approved container must be kept at least 15 feet from any structure.
New Jersey bans consumer fireworks countywide, but since 2017 hand-held and ground-based sparkling devices and novelties (like sparklers and snakes) are legal for anyone 16 or older. Aerials, firecrackers, and Roman candles stay illegal.
N.J.S.A. 21:3-2(b)
sparkling devices and novelties as defined in R.S.21:2-2 if the person is 16 years of age or older.
Passaic County sets no defensible-space brush-clearance mandate; New Jersey handles overgrowth through municipal property-maintenance codes and the state Forest Fire Service in wildfire-prone areas like West Milford and Ringwood.
Open burning of rubbish, garbage, leaves, and plant waste is prohibited statewide by NJDEP rules that apply throughout Passaic County. Only permitted recreational fires and specific permitted burns are allowed.
N.J.A.C. 7:27-2.3
No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the disposal of fallen leaves by open burning. No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the disposal of any type of plant by open burning.
New Jersey does not use California-style wildfire hazard zones, but the state Forest Fire Service manages wildfire risk in Passaic County's forested north, and can impose stage restrictions banning open and ground fires during high danger.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements are set statewide by the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code (N.J.A.C. 5:70-4.19), not by Passaic County. A compliance certificate is required before any home is sold or re-rented.
N.J.A.C. 5:70-4.19
Smoke alarms shall be installed in one- and two-family or attached single family dwellings and shall be located and maintained in accordance with NFPA 72.
Recreational backyard fires are allowed under the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code, enforced by your town, not the county. Fires must be in an approved container, kept clear of structures, attended, and never used to burn trash.
Passaic County does not set propane-storage limits; the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code adopts NFPA 58 statewide. Residential grill cylinders are limited in size, and larger tanks trigger permit and clearance requirements.
1 cities in Passaic County have their own fire regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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