Small recreational backyard fires are permitted in approved devices with clean fuel. Wood fires are banned on BAAQMD Spare the Air alert days across the Bay Area.
Backyard recreational fires in Mountain View are governed by California Fire Code Section 307 and BAAQMD Regulation 6, Rule 3. Fires must be in a portable outdoor fireplace, chiminea, or approved fire pit and must use clean seasoned firewood, manufactured logs, charcoal, or gas. Piles of open wood on the ground are not allowed. Fires must be at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible vegetation unless the device is listed for closer clearance, attended at all times by an adult, and extinguished completely before the household leaves the area. On BAAQMD Spare the Air no-burn days, all wood burning including backyard recreational wood fires is prohibited Bay Area wide. Gas and propane devices remain allowed on no-burn days.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how other cities in Santa Clara County handle backyard fires.
See how Mountain View's backyard fires rules stack up against other locations.
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