Orlando residents may have small recreational backyard fires (under 3 feet in diameter, 2 feet tall) for warmth or recreation, plus charcoal, propane, and natural-gas cooking grills, subject to clearance and burn-ban rules. Burning of yard waste, leaves, brush, construction debris, or trash is prohibited inside city limits. All fires must be attended by an adult with extinguishing means available. The Florida Fire Prevention Code prohibits open flames on combustible balconies of multi-family buildings.
Backyard fires in Orlando follow the Florida Fire Prevention Code, which adopts NFPA 1 chapter 10 on open burning and recreational fires. A recreational fire is fueled by clean firewood (no leaves, brush, garbage, or treated lumber) and limited to 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height. Larger fires require Florida Forest Service authorization under FL Statute 590.125 and are essentially never authorized inside Orlando city limits. Setbacks: 25 feet from any structure, fence, or combustible material for fire pits; 15 feet for portable outdoor fireplaces, chimineas, and pellet smokers. Charcoal and gas grills are commonly used; on the balconies or within 10 feet of any combustible exterior wall of multi-family residential buildings, only electric grills are allowed under NFPA 1 10.10.6 (with limited exceptions for one- and two-family dwellings). All fires require an attending adult with a hose, extinguisher, or buckets of water. Burn bans by the city, Orange County, or the Florida Forest Service suspend all open burning, including recreational fires; gas grills are usually still allowed. Smoke that drifts onto neighbors or roadways may trigger nuisance enforcement.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how Orlando's backyard fires rules stack up against other locations.
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