Chelan County, WA Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Chelan County, WA, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- § 7.52.010, § 7.52.040
- Max pit size
- 36 in. diameter x 24 in. high
- Clearance required
- combustibles cleared 1.5 ft around pit
- Exception ends
- around July 1 (stage 2 ban)
- Violation penalty
- up to $1,000 fine / 90 days jail
Summary
Chelan County's fire hazard code defines a lawful "campfire area" as a noncombustible ring no more than 36 inches across and 24 inches tall, cleared to mineral soil, under Section 7.52.010, and even when outdoor fires are otherwise banned for the season, Section 7.52.040 carves out an exception for recreational fires built inside one of those compliant pits.
“Campfire area” is an outdoor fire-burning area for recreational fires where natural wood materials other than rubbish can be burned. The campfire area must have all combustible material removed down to mineral soil and shall have a containment area of either rock, metal, concrete or any other noncombustible material and shall not be more than thirty-six inches in diameter and twenty-four inches high. All combustible material one and one-half feet surrounding the campfire area shall be removed. Fuel for the recreational residential campfire shall not extend above the edge of the campfire containment area. ... Exception: recreational campfires burning in a designated campfire area installed in accordance with the Chelan County fire advisory board guidelines.
Full Breakdown
04 for undefined terms. It defines a "campfire area" as an outdoor fire-burning area for recreational fires where only natural wood, not rubbish, may be burned; the area must be cleared of combustible material down to mineral soil, contained in rock, metal, concrete, or other noncombustible material no larger than thirty-six inches in diameter and twenty-four inches high, with an additional foot and a half of combustible material cleared around it, and fuel may not extend above the containment edge. The same section defines an "outdoor fireplace" with the identical 36-by-24-inch cap and defines "portable fireplaces/pits" as portable steel, concrete, or clay units, open or with a small hearth and short chimney.
040(1)(B)(ii) prohibits all recreational campfires, compliant pits included, once the fire danger escalates around July 1, and restrictions stay in force through October 1 unless the board revises them. 070.
Violations & Fines
Building, maintaining, or using an outdoor fire pit that does not meet the campfire-area standard, or keeping one burning after the second-stage ban takes effect, is a misdemeanor under Section 7.52.080, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and/or 90 days in jail, plus liability for any firefighting costs the fire causes and possible court-ordered restitution.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can an outdoor fire pit be in unincorporated Chelan County?
Can I still use my fire pit once burn restrictions start June 1?
Does the fire-pit exception last all summer?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chelan County
How Chelan County compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare Chelan County to another location·View the Washington fire regulations overview
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