Buena Park, CA Fire Regulations: Fire Pit Rules (2026)

The City of Buena Park does not publish a dedicated fire-pit section. Instead, Buena Park adopts the 2022 California Fire Code (which incorporates the 2021 International Fire Code) by reference in Title 16 of its Municipal Code, Chapter 16.00 (Fire Code Adopted), with local amendments in Chapter 16.04. Fire protection and fire-code enforcement are provided by the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) under contract, not a city fire department. Under California Fire Code Section 307, a recreational fire (which includes a backyard fire pit or chiminea burning wood) must not be conducted within 25 feet of a structure or combustible material, and conditions that could allow fire spread within 25 feet must be eliminated before ignition; for a small fire 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height the minimum clearance is 25 feet. A constant means of extinguishment, such as a hose, bucket or extinguisher, must be available, and the fire must be attended until extinguished. Because Buena Park lies in the South Coast Air Basin, South Coast AQMD wood-burning rules also apply: on a declared residential No-Burn Day under the District's wood-burning program, burning wood or manufactured fire logs in outdoor wood-burning devices is prohibited. Gas- or propane-fueled fire pits are not subject to the wood No-Burn restriction and are generally treated as open-flame cooking/heating devices under the fire code.