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Fire Regulations in Valencia County, NM (2026)

3 rules for unincorporated Valencia County, New Mexico.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Valencia County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Fire Pits & Backyard Fires

Outdoor campfires and small bonfires for cooking, ceremonies, or recreation are allowed in unincorporated Valencia County only when confined inside a fire ring or fire pit, under County Code § 93.27(I). A qualifying recreational fire is capped at 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height under § 93.22, and no permit is required for casual recreational or cooking fires unless the Fire Chief has declared a burn ban.

Valencia County Fire Pit Rules

Some Restrictions

Valencia County Code §§ 93.22, 93.27(I)

RECREATIONAL / BON FIRE. An outdoor fire burning materials other than rubbish where fuel being burned is not contained in an incinerator, outdoor fireplace, barbecue grill or barbecue pit and has a total fuel area of 3 feet or less in diameter, and 2 feet or less in height for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth or similar purposes. ... (A) No person shall start or maintain an op...

Fireworks

Valencia County allows sale of only a short list of novelty fireworks, cone fountains, sparklers, ground spinners and similar items, and limits their use to paved, barren, or water-accessible areas in the unincorporated county. Rockets, firecrackers, aerial spinners and display fireworks are banned outright, along with all fireworks in wildlands.

Fireworks Sale and Use Rules, Valencia County

Significant Restrictions

Valencia County Code § 93.45

(C) Pursuant to NMSA 1978, § 60-2C-8.1 (F)(2)(a)(1999), the Board of County Commissioners does hereby allow the sale but limits the use of cone fountains, crackling devices, cylindrical fountains, flitter sparklers, ground spinners, illuminating torches, toy smoke devices, wheels and mines fireworks within the unincorporated areas of the county to areas that are paved or barren or that have a...

Outdoor Burning

Open burning and refuse burning are banned throughout unincorporated Valencia County unless specifically permitted, under County Code § 93.23. Even permitted burns of leaves, brush, or clean wood need a burn permit from the Fire Chief, and the Fire Chief may impose a countywide burn ban under § 93.29 whenever forest, grass, or structural fire danger is high, including during a Red Flag Warning.

Valencia County Open Burning Ban

Significant Restrictions

Valencia County Code §§ 93.23, 93.29

Open burning and refuse burning are prohibited in the unincorporated areas of the county unless the burn is specifically permitted by this chapter. ... The Fire Chief may impose a ban upon any or all types of open fires or contained open fires in the unincorporated areas of Valencia County, New Mexico if it is deemed that danger of forest, grass, or structural fires are found to be high, by com...

All Valencia County ordinances

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