Deerfield Beach, FL Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)

Section 46-31(d) carves a specific exemption out of the city's open-burning prohibition for a small contained fire used solely for residential recreational purposes, as well as for outdoor noncommercial cooking in a stove, oven, barbecue pit or fireplace. Both exempt uses only qualify if conducted safely and within a defined set of conditions: the fire must be set back at least ten feet from any property line, must be properly contained, and cannot be used to burn yard waste, household refuse, garbage, recyclable materials, commercial debris, wood pallets, old furniture, or any treated or processed wood such as particle board or plywood.

A working source of running water must be available within 100 feet of the fire, connected to a hose at least 50 feet long, and the person maintaining the fire must be able to show permission to use that water source. The section adds a beachfront-specific rule: fire pits located on the seaward and shore-perpendicular sides of a structure must be shielded with an opaque structure or partition and positioned so the flame is not directly, indirectly, or cumulatively visible from any part of the beach, addressing sea-turtle lighting concerns along Deerfield Beach's shoreline. This exemption was added by Ordinance No. 2020/001 in January 2020 and refined by Ordinance No. 2022/002 in January 2022.