Downey, CA Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Downey, CA, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Downey Municipal Code § 3311 (307.6, 307.7)
- Max fire size
- 3 feet diameter, 2 feet height
- Earliest start time
- 7:00 a.m., any day
- Sun-Thu curfew
- 10:00 p.m.
- Fri-Sat curfew
- Midnight
- Liability
- Property owner liable for resulting damage
Summary
Downey Municipal Code Section 3311 caps every backyard fire pit or recreational fire at three feet in diameter and two feet in height, bans burning after 10 p.m. on weeknights and midnight on weekends, and forbids starting fires before 7 a.m. any day.
§ 3311. RECREATIONAL FIRES. Section 307 of Chapter 1, Division II of the 2025 Edition of the California Fire Code is hereby amended by adding thereto Sections 307.6 and 307.7 to read as follows: 307.6 Recreational Fires: Approved Times. No recreational fire shall be kindled or maintained during the following prohibited times: A. Prior to 7:00 a.m. on any day of the week; B. After 10:00 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; or C. After 12:00 a.m. (midnight), Friday and Saturday. 307.7 Additional Requirements for Recreational Fires. No person shall kindle or maintain a recreational fire unless in compliance with the following: A. Combustibles and Flammables. No oils, combustible and flammable liquids, rubber, plastics, chemically treated materials, construction materials, hazardous waste, and rubbish/trash shall be burned or used as starting materials. No flammable or combustible liquids shall be used to kindle or rekindle a fire. B. Total Fuel Load. The total fuel load of the recreational fire shall not exceed three feet (3') in diameter or two feet (2') in height.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4807734; v5 updated 2026-01-27).
Full Breakdown
7 to the fire-behavior chapter of the 2025 California Fire Code as adopted by Downey. m. Sunday through Thursday, or after midnight on Friday and Saturday. 7 adds three substantive conditions on top of the clock. Paragraph A bars burning oils, combustible or flammable liquids, rubber, plastics, chemically treated materials, construction debris, hazardous waste, or rubbish as fuel, and separately bars using any flammable or combustible liquid to kindle or rekindle the fire, closing off the common shortcut of dousing a stubborn fire pit with lighter fluid or gasoline.
Paragraph B is the physical size cap that defines what counts as a lawful fire pit in the first place: the total fuel load cannot exceed three feet in diameter or two feet in height, measured as the burning material itself rather than the container. Paragraph C makes the property owner, not just whoever lit the fire, responsible and liable for any damage or injury that results directly or indirectly from the fire. Because Section 3306 separately requires an operational permit for any recreational fire in the first place, a compliant Downey fire pit needs both the permit from the Bureau of Fire Prevention and adherence to the Section 3311 time, fuel, and size limits to be lawful.
Violations & Fines
Kindling or maintaining a recreational fire outside the approved hours, using a prohibited fuel or accelerant, or exceeding the three-foot-diameter, two-foot-height fuel load limit violates Section 3311 and is enforced by the Downey Fire Department's Bureau of Fire Prevention, which can order the fire extinguished and cite the property owner, who bears liability under 307.7(C) for resulting damage or injury.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Downey
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