Fire pit rules in York County, PA — also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances — cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
York County does not zone or permit residential fire pits; that is set by your borough or township. In York County parks, fires are allowed only in Director-approved fireplaces and must be charcoal or wood.
Residential fire pit rules (size, setback from structures, screening, attendance) come from your municipality, since Pennsylvania delegates land use to boroughs, cities, and townships under the Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247). Many York County townships require pits to be a set distance from structures, attended, and confined in a fireproof container. On county-owned parkland, the York County Code is explicit: no person may build any fire except within Director-approved fireplaces, and all fires must be charcoal or wood. Countywide, if the Commissioners declare a drought burn ban, all backyard fire pits are prohibited regardless of your municipal rules.
In county parks, unauthorized fires violate Chapter 75 and are cited by park rangers as a summary offense. Municipal fire-pit violations are enforced by local code officers under township ordinances.
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