Bloomington, IL Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Bloomington, IL, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Setback, fire pit
- 25 feet from structure or public way
- Setback, other containers
- 8 feet from structure or public way
- Fuel size cap
- 3 feet diameter, 2 feet height
- Burn hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
- Time limit
- 4 hours maximum per fire
- Penalty
- $50 to $500 per offense, per day
Summary
In the City of Bloomington, Section 4-401(C) allows recreational fires only in an approved container or fire pit: a device built for wood or charcoal, capped at three feet in diameter and two feet high, kept at least eight feet from a structure or public way, or 25 feet if it's a fire pit, burning no more than four hours and never before 7 a.m. or after 11 p.m.
Recreational fires shall be allowed in approved containers or fire pits. ... For the purpose of this section, approved container shall be defined as a device specifically designed for the use of burning wooed or charcoal, including but not limited to portable fireplaces, fire pits or chimineas. All portable devices shall be equipped with a spark arrestor (i.e. screen or chimney). The approved container made of stone, metal, or ceramic construction designed for the purpose of containing a fire shall also be permitted provided the total fuel area does not exceed three feet in diameter and two feet in height. Wood contained in permissible fires shall be no more than three feet in length. ... No approved container shall be located within eight feet of a structure or public way. No approved fire pit shall be located within 25 feet of a structure or public way. ... All recreational fires have maximum time limit of four hours and shall be properly extinguished at the end of activities or time limit. Regardless of when the fire was initiated it is not allowed to extend later than 11:00 p.m. and may begin no earlier than 7:00 a.m.
Full Breakdown
Bloomington regulates backyard fire pits as recreational fires under Chapter 4's open-fire article, distinct from the flat ban on burning garbage, construction debris, and yard waste in the same section. Section 4-401(C) allows a recreational fire, defined as an outdoor fire for pleasure, ceremony, cooking, or warmth, only inside an approved container or fire pit. Subsection (D)(1) defines an approved container as a device built specifically for burning wood or charcoal, portable fireplaces, fire pits, and chimineas among them, each of which must carry a spark arrestor screen or chimney; a stone, metal, or ceramic container built to hold a fire also qualifies as long as the fuel area stays within three feet in diameter and two feet in height, and any wood burned in it is no longer than three feet.
Subsection (D)(2) sets the setback: a general approved container must sit at least eight feet from a structure or public way, while a fire pit specifically needs 25 feet of clearance from a structure or public way. regardless of when it started. Wind above 15 mph, or sustained gusts over 20 mph, requires immediate extinguishment under (D)(6).
Violations & Fines
A fire pit closer than 25 feet to a structure or public way, an approved container built past the three-foot/two-foot fuel limit, or a recreational fire kept burning past 11:00 p.m. or beyond four hours violates Section 4-401(C)-(D); the Fire Chief or Police Chief can order it extinguished under Subsection (F), and Section 4-401(H) fines the responsible party $50 to $500 per offense, per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bloomington
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