Small contained backyard recreational fires are allowed with clearances, but open backyard bonfires and burning of waste are prohibited. Wood-burning is banned in the city's fuel modification and wildfire zones.
Backyard fires in Laguna Niguel are governed by the California Fire Code as adopted by the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA). Recreational fires must be contained in an approved fire pit, ring, or portable outdoor fireplace meeting Section 307. Portable wood-burning devices with a spark arrester must be at least three feet from combustible construction, and solid fuel may not be burned within 25 feet of structures. Open bonfires and burning of trash or yard waste are not allowed. Critically, burning wood or solid fuel is prohibited within a fuel modification zone, Wildfire Risk Area, or Wildland-Urban Interface (Section 307.6.2.1), which covers much of the city's hillside neighborhoods near Aliso and Wood Canyons.
An unsafe or prohibited backyard fire can be ordered extinguished by OCFA; penalties follow the OCFA fee schedule, with each continuing day a separate offense.
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