Fire pit rules in Allentown, PA — also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances — cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
The City of Allentown treats a backyard fire pit as a campfire, which requires a permit and a pre-lighting inspection by the Fire Prevention Office. The fire may be in an approved open container or on the ground, must sit at least 25 feet from any structure, and the pile may not exceed 3 feet in diameter or 2 feet in height. Only one burning permit per month per property is allowed and burn time is capped at three hours.
Allentown does not allow unpermitted open recreational fires. Under the Allentown Fire Department Campfire Permit Regulations, a fire pit qualifies as a 'campfire' and 'require[s] a permit and inspection before lighting.' The fire may be 'in an approved open container or on the ground,' but 'a maximum of one (1) burning permit is allowed per month, per property unless authorized by the Fire Chief' and 'burn time is limited to three (3) hours unless authorized by the Fire Chief.' Regulation 1 requires the location of the fire to be 'a minimum of twenty-five (25) feet from any structure,' and Regulation 2 caps the size: 'Per code the maximum pile diameter shall be three (3) feet and the maximum pile height shall be two (2) feet.' Only dry wood may be burned (no garbage, rubbish, trash, rubber, plastic, leather, or petroleum-based material), flammable liquids may not be used to ignite the fire, dry grass must be cleared or wetted down, and a method of extinguishment such as a water hose must be on hand. The permit applicant or a representative must remain until the fire is totally extinguished, and the fire official may cancel the fire under heavy winds or dry conditions. The campfire permit costs $50.00.
A fire pit lit without the required campfire permit and pre-lighting inspection is unlawful open burning. The fire official may cancel or order the fire extinguished under adverse conditions, and burning prohibited materials (trash, plastic, leaves) violates both the permit conditions and PA DEP open-burning rules (25 Pa. Code 129.14).
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Allentown, PA
Article 710.03(C)(12) requires every motor vehicle to have a working muffler with no cutout or bypass, bars idling longer than 15 minutes per hour within 150...
Allentown, PA
No Allentown ordinance directly regulates in-flight aircraft noise; federal law (49 U.S.C. section 40103 and City of Burbank v. Lockheed) preempts local cont...
Allentown, PA
Allentown prohibits storing abandoned, inoperable, or unregistered vehicles on public streets or visible on private property. Vehicles may be tagged and towe...
Allentown, PA
Allentown regulates electric vehicle charging infrastructure for residential and commercial properties. Building codes may require EV-ready parking in new co...
Allentown, PA
Allentown does not impose a blanket residential overnight on-street parking ban, but a vehicle parked in one place on a public street for more than 72 consec...
Allentown, PA
Allentown requires pool barriers meeting safety codes to prevent drowning. Fences must be at least 4 to 5 feet tall with self-closing, self-latching gates.
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Lehigh County.
See how other cities in Lehigh County handle fire pit rules.
See how Allentown's fire pit rules rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.