8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 11 cities in San Diego County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Backyard fire pits and portable outdoor fireplaces are allowed in unincorporated San Diego County but regulated by the Consolidated Fire Code. Recreational fires must stay at least 25 feet from structures; portable fireplaces 15 feet. Fires must be constantly attended with extinguishing equipment ready, and may be banned on high fire-danger days.
All fireworks are banned in unincorporated San Diego County. The County Consolidated Fire Code prohibits the possession, manufacture, sale, storage, use, and display of fireworks, with no 'safe and sane' exception. Only permitted public displays are allowed. Violations are misdemeanors under California's State Fireworks Law.
Unincorporated San Diego County requires 100 feet of defensible space around structures under the Defensible Space for Fire Protection Ordinance (County Code Ch. 4, Div. 8, Title 6). Combustible vegetation, dead trees, and rubbish must be cleared within 100 feet of improvements, 30 feet of property lines, and 10 feet of roads. Violations are a public nuisance.
California Public Resources Code § 4291 (defensible space — 100 feet around structures in state responsibility areas)
99] ( Chapter 3 added by Stats. 1965, Ch. 1144. ) 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 ...
Open outdoor burning in unincorporated San Diego County requires a burn permit and is tightly regulated by the Air Pollution Control District (Rule 101) and the local fire district. Residential trash burning is banned in the western (urbanized) section. Burning is only allowed on declared permissive-burn days and not during high fire danger.
Most of unincorporated San Diego County is mapped as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) area. The County Consolidated Fire Code imposes WUI building standards, 100-foot defensible space, structure setbacks, and ignition-resistant construction. CAL FIRE and the County Fire Authority enforce these rules.
CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal — Fire Hazard Severity Zones (Public Resources Code §§ 4201–4204; Gov. Code §§ 51175–51189)
ed mapping across California under the California Public Resources Code 4201-4204, encompassing all State Responsibility Areas (SRA). What are Fire Hazard Severity Zones? The State Fire Marshal is mandated to classify lands within State Responsibility Areas into Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ). Fire Hazard Severity Zones fall into one of the following classifications: Moderate High Very High ...
Residential smoke alarm requirements in unincorporated San Diego County are set primarily by California state law (Health & Safety Code 13113.7-13113.8) and the building code, not a separate county ordinance. Alarms must be State Fire Marshal-listed, placed in each bedroom and outside sleeping areas, and operable at sale.
Small recreational backyard fires are allowed in unincorporated San Diego County if at least 25 feet from structures, attended by an adult, and equipped with extinguishing tools. Open burning of trash and yard waste is separately banned without an air-district burn permit. Fires may be prohibited during high fire-danger periods.
Bulk storage of liquefied petroleum gas (propane) is prohibited in most of unincorporated San Diego County under County Fire Code Sec. 6104.2, except in mixed/general/high-impact industrial zones. Residential and small propane tanks are allowed but regulated by the California Fire Code and NFPA 58. An exception allows tanks up to 30,000 gallons for residential distribution.
11 cities in San Diego 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
5 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
5 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
5 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
7 verified rules • Backyard Fires, Brush Clearance
5 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
6 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
4 verified rules • Brush Clearance, Fire Pit Rules
6 verified rules • Backyard Fires, Brush Clearance
1 verified rule • Outdoor Burning
8 verified rules • Backyard Fires, Brush Clearance
See every category we cover for San Diego County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
San Diego County Ordinance Hub →