Carver County, MN Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Carver County, MN, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Permit needed
- No, exempt year-round
- Size limit
- 3 feet diameter, 3 feet tall
- Structure setback
- 25 feet minimum
- Fuel allowed
- Dry, clean wood only
- Smoke limit
- Little detectable smoke past property line
- Governing section
- § 53.02 definitions
Summary
Backyard fire pits and campfires up to 3 feet wide and 3 feet tall qualify as 'recreational fires' under Carver County's open burning code and don't need a DNR burn permit. They must burn only dry, clean wood, sit at least 25 feet from any structure, produce little detectable smoke beyond the property line, and be fully extinguished before you leave.
RECREATIONAL FIRE. A fire set with approved starter fuel, with the materials to be burned no more than 3 feet in diameter and 3 feet in height, using dry, clean wood; producing little detectable smoke, odor or soot beyond the property line; for recreational, ceremonial, food preparation or social purposes; extinguished completely before quitting the occasion; and respecting weather conditions, neighbors, burning bans, and air quality so that nuisance, health or safety hazards will not be created. Mobile cooking devices such as, charcoal grills, propane, and natural gas devices are not defined as recreational fires. Recreational fires shall not be located closer than 25 feet to any structure. ... (B) Recreational fires. Recreational fires, as defined in § 53.02, are exempt from this provision year round.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-20: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 111-2025, passed 7-25-25).
Full Breakdown
02 of the Carver County Code defines a RECREATIONAL FIRE as one set with approved starter fuel, using materials no more than 3 feet in diameter and 3 feet in height, burning only dry, clean wood, producing little detectable smoke, odor or soot beyond the property line, kept for recreational, ceremonial, food-preparation or social purposes, and completely extinguished before the occasion ends. The fire must respect weather conditions, neighbors, any burning ban then in effect, and air quality so it doesn't create a nuisance, health, or safety hazard.
Recreational fires cannot be located closer than 25 feet to any structure. ' Clean pallets cut into three-foot lengths may be used as fuel, but treated, painted, wet, or green wood cannot, per the WOOD definition in the same section. 13.
Violations & Fines
A fire pit that exceeds the 3-by-3-foot size limit, sits closer than 25 feet to a structure, burns wet or treated wood, or throws detectable smoke past the property line no longer meets the § 53.02 definition of a recreational fire and can be treated as unpermitted open burning. Under § 53.99(A) that is a misdemeanor, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a backyard fire pit in unincorporated Carver County?
How big can my recreational fire be?
How far does my fire pit have to be from my house or a neighbor's?
Can the county make me put out my fire pit during a burn ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carver County
How Carver County compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare Carver County to another location·View the Minnesota fire regulations overview
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