Farmington Hills, MI Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)

' The section then lists eight categories of permitted open fires. The first covers backyard fire pits directly: charcoal cookers, braziers, hibachis, grills, outdoor fireplaces or gas-fired stoves and similar semi-enclosed devices are allowed on the premises of a one-family detached dwelling, with no permit application required under this subsection. That is a materially different standard from multifamily properties, where the same devices must sit at least eight feet from any part of the building, including balconies, and cannot be used on balconies above ground level at all (Sec.

12-14(2)). Recreational campfires run by educational, religious, charitable or governmental groups fall under a separate exemption, subsection (8), and do require a written permit from the fire department: applicants apply at the fire prevention office with the location, material to be burned, and planned date and time, the city council may set a fee for the permit, and the fire chief or designee decides whether to issue it, attach conditions, or deny it based on public safety. That same official can cancel or revoke a permit already issued if the burning is later found to endanger persons or property.

Chapter 12 violations are civil infractions under Sec. 1-25 unless a specific section designates a misdemeanor, and Sec. 12-10 lets the city treat any violating condition as a nuisance per se, subject to court-ordered abatement.