Backyard recreational fires in Lake Elsinore follow the 2022 California Fire Code in Chapter 15.56. A small wood fire is allowed if kept 25 feet from structures, attended, and limited to clean firewood. Burning yard waste is prohibited, and the Fire Marshal can ban fires in high fire danger.
Lake Elsinore has no stand-alone backyard-fire ordinance; outdoor fires fall under the California Fire Code adopted in Chapter 15.56 (2022 edition, Ordinance 1476) and South Coast AQMD rules. California Fire Code Section 307 allows a recreational fire with a fuel area no larger than 3 feet across and 2 feet high. It must sit at least 25 feet from any structure, be supervised by an adult, and have a hose or extinguisher available. Only clean, dry firewood may be burned; leaves, rubbish, and yard waste are illegal open burning. Because foothill neighborhoods sit in High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, the Fire Marshal may suspend backyard fires during red-flag warnings.
A backyard fire that is oversized, too close to structures, unattended, or burning prohibited materials violates the California Fire Code (LEMC 15.56) and AQMD rules. The Fire Marshal may order it extinguished and issue a citation.
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