8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 7 cities in Riverside County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Fire pits permitted under CFC §307.4 with 15-foot clearance. Gas/propane preferred. Wood burning restricted during air district no-burn days (SCAQMD or MDAQMD depending on location).
All fireworks - including 'safe and sane' - are illegal in unincorporated Riverside County under Ord. 671, with enhanced wildfire-season penalties and felony exposure for aerial devices.
Property owners must maintain 100 feet of defensible space under PRC §4291 and Riverside County Ord. 787, with annual inspections by CAL FIRE and the Fire Hazard Reduction Program.
Cal. Pub. Res. Code Sec. 4291 (Defensible Space)
4291. (a) A person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in the state responsibility area shall at all times do all of the following: (1) (A) Maintain defensible space of 100 feet from each side and from the front and rear of the structure, but not beyond the property line, except as provided in subparagraph (B). The amount of fuel modification necessary sha...
Open burning of vegetation is largely prohibited in unincorporated Riverside County and requires a CAL FIRE burn permit plus a permissive burn day declaration from SCAQMD/MDAQMD.
Most of unincorporated Riverside County is mapped in Fire Hazard Severity Zones by CAL FIRE, triggering Chapter 7A building codes, 100-ft defensible space, and AB 38 disclosures.
CAL FIRE — Fire Hazard Severity Zones (Public Resources Code Sec. 4201-4204; Gov. Code Sec. 51175-51189)
Fire Hazard Severity Zones Fire Hazard Severity Zones California’s seasonally dry Mediterranean climate lends itself to wildfires, and in an effort to better prepare, CAL FIRE is required to classify the severity of fire hazard in areas of California. The History of Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps arose from major destructive fires, prompting the recognition ...
California Health & Safety Code §13113.7 requires working smoke alarms in every sleeping area and hallway, with 10-year sealed battery units mandatory in homes sold or substantially altered after 2015.
California Health and Safety Code Section 13113.7 (Article 1. General)
(a)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, smoke alarms, approved and listed by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 13114 at the time of installation, shall be installed, in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions in each dwelling intended for human occupancy. (2) For all dwelling units intended for human occupancy for which a building permit is issued on or after Janua...
Recreational fires in unincorporated Riverside County are sharply restricted in WUI zones, require clearance and screening, and are banned entirely during Red Flag Warnings.
Riverside County Fire Department enforces California Fire Code Chapter 61 limits on residential propane storage, requiring setbacks from structures, ignition sources, and neighbors based on container size.
7 cities in Riverside County have their own fire regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
8 verified rules • Backyard Fires, Brush Clearance
7 verified rules • Backyard Fires, Brush Clearance
7 verified rules • Backyard Fires, Brush Clearance
7 verified rules • Backyard Fires, Brush Clearance
7 verified rules • Backyard Fires, Brush Clearance
7 verified rules • Backyard Fires, Brush Clearance
1 verified rule • Backyard Fires
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