Alhambra, CA Fire Regulations: Fire Pit Rules (2026)

Alhambra adopted the 2022 California Fire Code as Chapter 19.02 of its Municipal Code (the 'City of Alhambra Fire Code'), and the city's own Fire Department enforces it. Under California Fire Code Chapter 3, a 'recreational fire' is an outdoor fire burning clean wood or charcoal with a total fuel area three feet or less in diameter and two feet or less in height, used for cooking, warmth or similar purposes — distinct from a larger 'open burning' operation. Recreational fires and approved portable outdoor fireplaces (manufactured fire pits and chimineas) are generally permitted at one- and two-family homes without a separate burn permit, provided they are not used to dispose of rubbish. The Fire Code's open-flame provisions call for keeping fires a safe distance from combustible structures, having a means of extinguishment such as a connected garden hose or extinguisher readily available, and constant adult attendance until the fire is fully out. The Alhambra Fire Department, through its Community Risk Reduction Division, may order any outdoor fire extinguished if the smoke becomes offensive to neighbors or creates a hazardous condition. Because Alhambra sits in the flat, fully built-out San Gabriel Valley and is not in a wildfire hazard zone, the main concerns are smoke nuisance, embers near fences and eaves, and air-quality burn-day rules from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) rather than brush ignition. Wood smoke is also subject to SCAQMD nuisance Rule 402.