Prince George's County, MD Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)

Sec. 11-268 of the Fire Prevention Code separates recreational fires from fixed and portable fire pits and fireplaces, and subsection (f) is the specific rule for pits fueled by gas or propane. These devices are permitted at single-family dwellings and townhouses when used according to the manufacturer's guidelines, but four conditions apply. First, an attendant at least eighteen years old must stay in direct view of the device from lighting until it is completely extinguished, with a fire extinguisher or hose available during use. Second, a pit used on a deck must be positioned at least ten feet from the dwelling or townhouse, and its combustion area cannot sit in direct contact with combustible decking material.

Third, the Fire Chief or a designee retains authority to prohibit use of any gas or propane pit at any time its use is judged to create a fire hazard, independent of the fixed conditions in the Section. Fourth, these devices cannot be used on or within thirty feet of any public road, street, highway, alley, sidewalk, or public right-of-way, and Sec. 11-268(f)(5) additionally bars using one on someone else's property without the owner's or agent's permission. Wood-fueled fireplaces, chimineas and similar devices are covered separately under subsection (d), which imposes its own thirty-foot setback from structures, while subsection (e) caps visible smoke from any permitted fire at twenty percent opacity and bans letting a fire smolder unattended.