Backyard recreational fires up to three feet in diameter are allowed without a permit if constantly attended. Open fires are banned entirely inside the Beltway (I-695), and larger bonfires outside it require a Fire Marshal permit.
Baltimore County's Fire Prevention Code permits small recreational and cooking fires — campfires, fire pits, chimineas — without a permit provided they are constantly attended and routine precautions are taken. The fire must be three feet or less in diameter and stay at least 15 feet from apartments, condos and overhangs. An adult must remain until the fire is fully out with no smoldering embers. Inside the I-695 Beltway, open burning including recreational fires is prohibited. Outside the Beltway, anything larger than a small recreational fire is a bonfire needing a Fire Marshal permit.
Unattended or oversized backyard fires, and any open fire inside the Beltway, violate the county fire code; the Fire Marshal can order extinguishment and issue citations.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Baltimore County's backyard fires rules stack up against other locations.
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