8 rules for unincorporated San Benito County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Backyard fire pits and recreational fires in unincorporated San Benito County follow the California Fire Code (Section 307) enforced by CAL FIRE / county fire, plus Monterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD) smoke rules. Recreational fires must stay 25 feet from anything combustible; portable outdoor fireplaces 15 feet (with a one- and two-family dwelling exception).
All fireworks, including state-approved 'Safe and Sane' items, are illegal in the unincorporated areas of San Benito County. Consumer fireworks are sold and used lawfully only inside the city limits of Hollister and San Juan Bautista. County Code Chapter 11.05 governs the ban; California Health & Safety Code section 12500 et seq. controls statewide.
Rural parcels in the San Benito County hills - the Diablo Range, Panoche, and grassland foothills - fall in the State Responsibility Area and Fire Hazard Severity Zones where California Public Resources Code 4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space around structures. Grass must be kept to 4 inches, with layered Zone 0, 1, and 2 clearance.
Open burning of yard waste in unincorporated San Benito County is regulated by the Monterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD) and requires a CAL FIRE burn permit. Residential backyard burning is allowed only in a limited winter season (Dec 1 to Apr 30) on declared permissive burn days; trash burning is banned year-round.
Much of rural San Benito County - the Diablo Range, Panoche, and dry grassland-oak foothills near Pinnacles - lies in CAL FIRE's State Responsibility Area. The 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps designate Moderate, High, and Very High zones across the unincorporated county, triggering PRC 4291 defensible-space and disclosure duties.
San Benito County does not publish its own smoke-alarm ordinance; statewide California law applies. Health & Safety Code section 13113.7 requires smoke alarms in all dwellings, and section 17926 requires carbon monoxide alarms in any home with a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace, or attached garage. Both are enforced as part of the adopted California Building Standards Code.
Small backyard recreational fires in unincorporated San Benito County are allowed under California Fire Code Section 307, with a 25-foot clearance from anything combustible, constant attendance, and an extinguisher on hand. Burning yard waste or trash is a separate, more restricted activity controlled by MBARD and CAL FIRE permits.
Propane storage in unincorporated San Benito County follows the California Fire Code (Chapter 61, Liquefied Petroleum Gases) and NFPA 58, applied by CAL FIRE / county fire. Tank-to-building and property-line clearances scale with tank size; small BBQ-grill cylinders are stored outdoors, and larger installations require a permit.
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