Backyard recreational fires in Fresno are allowed only when used for cooking food, as a campfire, or for a religious ceremony, burning clean dry wood or charcoal, and only when attended and a safe distance from buildings, combustibles and vegetation. Any unattended fire must be extinguished, and wood-burning is further banned on air-district curtailment days November through February.
The Fresno Fire Department's SOP 202.006 (Outside Fires) Operational Guideline permits open outdoor fires used solely for cooking, campfires and religious ceremonial fires where the fuel is clean, dry wood or charcoal, as long as they are attended and a safe distance from buildings, combustibles and vegetation. Any unattended open outdoor fire must be extinguished. These recreational fires are authorized under SJVAPCD Rule 4103 section 4.1.1 and Fresno Municipal Code section 10-50105.6.32. Separately, when the fire pit or device burns wood, SJVAPCD Rule 4901 prohibits its operation on declared curtailment days during the November 1 - February wood-burning season (see fire-pit-rules). Trash burning is never allowed, and fires that become offensive due to smoke or hazardous due to weather may be ordered extinguished even if otherwise permitted.
Non-compliant or unattended backyard fires may be extinguished by fire company officers, who may issue administrative citations under FMC section 10-50112.4 and recover response costs under FMC section 10-50112.5. Wood-smoke curtailment violations fall under the air district's authority (up to $10,000 per day under H&S Code section 42403).
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