Snohomish County, WA Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Snohomish County, WA, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Fire type
- Recreational (cooking/pleasure/ceremonial)
- Size cap
- 3 ft diameter, 2 ft height
- Fuel
- Charcoal or bare untreated wood
- Permission
- Required from landowner first
- Debris fires
- Not recreational; need permit
Summary
Backyard campfires, cooking fires, and bonfires burning charcoal or bare untreated wood are allowed on private property in unincorporated Snohomish County as recreational fires, provided they stay under three feet in diameter and two feet high, are attended, and are not during a burn ban.
Recreational fires are defined as cooking fires, charcoal barbecues, campfires, and bonfires using charcoal or bare untreated wood in designated areas or on private property for cooking, pleasure or ceremonial purposes. ... They are allowed in both urbanized and unincorporated areas.
Full Breakdown
Puget Sound Clean Air Agency defines recreational fires as cooking fires, charcoal barbecues, campfires, and bonfires using charcoal or bare untreated wood, on private property for cooking, pleasure, or ceremonial purposes. A recreational fire under three feet in diameter and two feet high needs no permit; fires for debris disposal are not recreational fires and are regulated separately. Only charcoal, dried firewood, or manufactured firelogs may be burned. Get the landowner's permission first, keep the fire attended by someone able to extinguish it, and never smoke out neighbors. Recreational fires are always banned during air-quality burn bans and some fire-safety burn bans; a Stage 1 fire-safety ban still permits recreational and cooking fires.
Violations & Fines
Illegal fires start at fines of roughly $1,000 plus fire-department response reimbursement; smoking out a neighbor is always illegal and you must extinguish the fire if it causes a nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a campfire in my backyard?
Can I burn during a Stage 1 fire-safety burn ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Snohomish County
How Snohomish County compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare Snohomish County to another location·View the Washington fire regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.