Fire pit rules in Santa Cruz County, CA — also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances — cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Santa Cruz County adopts the California Fire Code via SCCC Chapter 7.92. Open burning (including recreational fires and fire pits) is heavily restricted countywide due to wildfire risk, particularly in the State Responsibility Area covering most of the Santa Cruz Mountains. CAL FIRE CZU and local fire districts issue burn permits and may declare red-flag bans.
Santa Cruz County Code Chapter 7.92 adopts the California Fire Code with local amendments. The county sits in a CAL FIRE State Responsibility Area (SRA) for most rural parcels in the Santa Cruz Mountains (Bonny Doon, Boulder Creek, Last Chance, Big Basin foothills, Aptos Hills, Corralitos) plus Local Responsibility Areas served by Aptos/La Selva Fire, Central Fire District, and Scotts Valley Fire. Open burning, recreational fires, and outdoor fireplaces require compliance with CFC Chapter 3 and a CAL FIRE / local burn permit; permits are typically suspended during fire season (roughly May-November) and red-flag warnings. Approved gas-fueled patio devices are generally allowed when used per manufacturer instructions. After the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex burned 86,000+ acres and 1,490 structures, enforcement of open-fire rules has tightened. Wood fires on beaches (where allowed at all) are restricted to designated metal rings at State Parks.
Illegal open burning is an infraction or misdemeanor under SCCC and the Fire Code, and any escaped fire makes the responsible party liable for full suppression costs under Cal. Health & Safety Code Section 13009 (which can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars). Citations can be issued by CAL FIRE, the local fire chief, or Sheriff deputies.
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See how Santa Cruz County's fire pit rules rules stack up against other locations.
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