Outdoor Cooking in Yakima County, WA (2026)

2 rules for unincorporated Yakima County, Washington.

Verified from official government sources

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

BBQ & Propane Rules

In the Wildland-Urban Interface areas that cover most of unincorporated Yakima County, any outdoor fire needs a written permit unless it is a permanent or portable barbecue, outdoor fireplace, incinerator or grill kept at least 30 feet from combustible material or vegetation. The rule sits in the county's adopted Wildland-Urban Interface Code.

Yakima County BBQ & Grill Placement Rules

Some Restrictions

Yakima County Code § 13.12.100 (WUIC § A104.7.1)

A104.7.1 General. No person shall build, ignite or maintain any outdoor fire of any kind for any purpose in or on any Wildland-Urban interface area, except by the authority of a written permit from a regulatory agency having jurisdictional authority. Exceptions: 1. Outdoor fires within inhabited premises or designated campsites where such fires are in a permanent barbecue, portable barbecue, ou...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Smoker Rules

Yakima County's fire code lets the fire code official declare a burn ban whenever conditions make open fires hazardous, but a listed outdoor cooking appliance, smoker, grill or similar device used per the manufacturer's instructions stays exempt from that ban. The exception sits in § 13.10.074, the county's amendment to the open-burning section of the International Fire Code.

Yakima County Outdoor Cooking Appliance Rules

Some Restrictions

Yakima County Code § 13.10.074 (IFC § 307.1.1)

§ 13.10.074. Amendment to Section 307.1.1, Prohibited Open Burning. Section 307.1.1 of the International Fire Code 2018 Edition is hereby amended as follows: 307.1.1 Prohibited open burning. Open burning shall be prohibited when the fire code official has determined atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make such fires hazardous. The fire code official is authorized to declare a burn ba...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

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