Bozeman, MT Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Bozeman, MT, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Permit-free season
- March 1 through November 30 for small recreational fires
- Maximum size
- Three feet in diameter and two feet in height
- Fall call-in
- September 1 through November 30: call to see if there are restrictions
- Burn ban
- Fire chief can prohibit fire pits and chimineas, effective immediately
- Enforcement
- Bozeman Police Department notices, corrective orders and citations
- Penalty
- Fine up to $500.00 or up to six months in jail, or both
Summary
In the City of Bozeman, Montana, a small recreational fire needs no permit from March 1 through November 30 if it stays within three feet in diameter and two feet in height. From September 1 through November 30 the burner must call to check for restrictions, and a fire chief burn ban overrides everything.
From March 1 through November 30, a permit is not required for small recreational fires in controlled areas. The fire must not exceed three feet in diameter and two feet in height. However, from September 1 through November 30, the burner must call to see if there are restrictions. For the purposes of this section, a recreation fire is defined as any fire not contained in an incinerator, outdoor fireplace, barbecue grill or pit and which is burned for pleasure, religious, ceremonial cooking or similar purposes.
Full Breakdown
Section 18.04.040 of the Bozeman Municipal Code is the city's recreational fire rule. It says that from March 1 through November 30 a permit is not required for small recreational fires in controlled areas, and it caps the fire at three feet in diameter and two feet in height. From September 1 through November 30 the burner must call to see if there are restrictions, so the permit-free window narrows to a call-first window in the fall.
The section defines a recreation fire as any fire not contained in an incinerator, outdoor fireplace, barbecue grill or pit and burned for pleasure, religious, ceremonial cooking or similar purposes. That definition matters for anyone with a backyard ring or pit: the permit exemption is written for small recreation fires in controlled areas, and it carries a size ceiling rather than a distance from a house or fence. Section 18.04.040 prints no setback distance, so the printed limits to plan around are diameter, height and season. Fires outside those limits fall back to section 18.04.020, which requires a county open burn permit for open burning between March 1 and November 30.
Other Article 4 sections still apply to a permit-free fire. Section 18.04.050 totally prohibits burning food wastes, plastics, styrofoam, rubber, treated lumber and other listed materials, so a fire pit is a wood fire. Section 18.04.080 bars setting a fire when wind or weather conditions make it hazardous and requires a fire to be extinguished as quickly as possible if conditions turn hazardous. It also lets the city fire chief close or restrict open burning when necessary and requires anyone to put a fire out on request of any city or county law enforcement officer or firefighter.
Section 18.01.010 goes further: the fire chief can issue a burn ban prohibiting all fires and burning of combustibles, expressly including fire pits and chimineas, considering drought, weather forecast and available fire resources. The ban takes immediate effect and lasts until the fire chief rescinds it.
Violations & Fines
The Bozeman Police Department investigates complaints and issues written notices of violation, orders to take corrective action, and citations under section 18.04.090. Article 4 has no penalty clause of its own, so section 1.01.210 applies unless otherwise specifically provided: a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $500.00 or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both, plus court costs. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can a fire pit fire be in Bozeman without a permit?
Does Bozeman require a call before using a fire pit in the fall?
Can the fire chief ban fire pits in Bozeman?
What can I burn in a Bozeman fire pit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bozeman
How Bozeman compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare Bozeman to another location·View the Montana fire regulations overview
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