Council Bluffs, IA Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)

CBMC 12.02.056 permits fire pits, chimineas and similar fire containment devices as an alternative to the citywide open-burning ban, but only if the owner follows every listed condition. No outdoor burning is allowed once wind speed passes ten miles per hour, and a responsible adult must constantly attend and supervise the fire until it is completely extinguished. The device itself cannot exceed three feet in diameter, and flames must stay below two feet above the pit or containment device. Placement matters too: a fire pit or containment device must sit at least fifteen feet from any combustible material or structure, and at least ten feet from a lot line unless the neighboring property owner agrees otherwise.

A portable fire extinguisher or another approved means of extinguishing the fire, such as a garden hose, must be readily available at the site. The same section bans any fire, including a fire pit, that becomes offensive or objectionable to a reasonable person because of smoke or odor, or that atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make hazardous. Fire pits differ from a bonfire, which needs its own permit, fee, fire ring and fifty-foot setback and is authorized only for a sponsored gathering; a residential fire pit used for a normal backyard fire does not need a separate permit as long as it stays within the section's size, distance, wind and supervision limits.

The fire chief or the chief's designee enforces CBMC 12.02.056 and can order a fire extinguished or refuse to allow it when conditions make it a hazard.