Ceres, CA Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Ceres, CA, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Recreational ground fires
- Prohibited citywide except religious ceremonies
- Portable outdoor fireplaces (fire pits)
- Allowed, must comply with other city codes
- Bonfires
- Deleted from local code entirely
- Attendance requirement
- Constantly attended until fully extinguished
- Required safety equipment
- 4A extinguisher plus water hose or sand
Summary
Ceres allows portable outdoor fire pits under an amended California Fire Code Section 307.4.3 but bans ground-level recreational fires citywide except for permitted religious ceremonies, per Municipal Code Section 15.08.190.
307.4.1 Deleted. 307.4.2 Shall be prohibited except for religious ceremonies and shall comply with other regulation or prohibitions of other city municipal codes or uses. Permit required. ... 307.5 Open burning or use of portable outdoor fireplaces as used at one and two-family dwellings shall be constantly attended until the fire extinguished. Not fewer than one portable fire extinguisher complying with section 906 with a 4A minimum rating and a water hose, water truck or medium of dirt/sand shall be immediately available.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
The City of Ceres amended California Fire Code Section 307.4 through Municipal Code Section 15.08.190. Bonfires under 307.4.1 were deleted from the local code entirely. Recreational ground fires under 307.4.2 are prohibited citywide except for religious ceremonies, which still require a permit. Portable outdoor fireplaces, meaning fire pits, under 307.4.3 remain allowed but must comply with other city code provisions. Any open burning or portable outdoor fireplace use at a one- or two-family home must be constantly attended, with a 4A-rated fire extinguisher or a hose, water truck, or dirt/sand kept on hand until extinguished.
Violations & Fines
Conducting an unpermitted recreational fire, leaving open burning or a fire pit unattended, or skipping the required extinguisher and water source is a Ceres Fire Code violation, enforceable through Chapter 19 administrative citations and fire code abatement penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a fire pit in my backyard in Ceres?
Are open ground fires or bonfires legal in Ceres?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ceres
How Ceres compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Ceres to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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