Fire pit rules in Cumberland County, ME — also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances — cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Cumberland County has no county-level fire pit ordinance — fire pits in Cumberland County's 28 municipalities are governed by Maine state law (12 MRS §§ 9322, 9325) plus each municipality's local fire department permit rules. State law limits recreational campfires to 3 feet in diameter and 3 feet in height and bans open burning during Red Flag conditions.
Cumberland County does not publish a code of ordinances and has no county-level fire pit rule; the county Sheriff's Office, EMA, and RCC handle public safety but not fire-pit permitting. Under 12 MRS § 9325, a recreational campfire kindled on snow- or ice-covered ground is allowed without a permit if it does not exceed 3 feet in diameter at the base or 3 feet in height. Residential grills and fireplaces used for cooking are similarly exempt. All other outdoor burns — including non-snow-season backyard fire pits, brush piles, and bonfires — require a permit issued by the town forest fire warden or a Maine Forest Service ranger under 12 MRS § 9324. Open burning is prohibited statewide whenever the Maine Forest Service issues a Red Flag Warning. Municipal fire departments in Cumberland County (Portland, South Portland, Westbrook, Scarborough, Brunswick, etc.) add local distance-from-structures, attended-fire, and fuel-type rules — check the specific municipality's fire department for fire-pit-specific conditions.
Burning without a required permit or in violation of permit conditions is enforceable under 12 MRS § 9324; recreational fires that exceed the 3 ft × 3 ft state cap or that are kindled during a Red Flag warning are subject to civil penalties and immediate extinguishment orders from the Maine Forest Service or local fire warden. Fires that escape and cause damage create civil liability for the cost of suppression.
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