High Point, NC Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in High Point, NC, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Containment required
- Wire-mesh enclosure
- Alternative
- Written fire-chief permit
- Permit standard
- Must meet EPA regulations
- Inside fire limits
- No exception applies
Summary
Outside High Point's fire limits, grass, weeds, trash, or rubbish may only be burned in a wire-mesh enclosure, or under a written fire department permit that meets EPA open-burning standards.
Grass, weeds, trash or rubbish shall not be burned on any private lot outside the fire limits except within a safely constructed enclosure made of wire mesh or in a similar device, except upon written permission obtained from the chief of the fire department. The permit shall be granted on the basis that conditions and procedures prescribed in the permit will be followed, and shall comply with current requirements and regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 9 | Development Ordinance: Supplement 14).
Full Breakdown
High Point Code of Ordinances § 5-2-42 lets homeowners outside the city's fire limits burn grass, weeds, trash, or rubbish on their own lot only inside a safely constructed wire-mesh enclosure or similar containment device. Burning without that enclosure requires written permission from the fire chief first, and any permitted burn must follow the conditions set in the permit and comply with current EPA open-burning regulations. Inside the fire limits, all such burning is banned outright under the neighboring § 5-2-41: the enclosure option does not apply there.
Violations & Fines
Burning without the required enclosure or a fire department permit draws the code's default civil penalty, $50 first offense rising to $500 for a fourth, under § 1-1-4(g), and the fire department can order the fire put out immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn yard debris in a backyard fire pit?
Does this rule apply downtown?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in High Point
How High Point compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare High Point to another location·View the North Carolina fire regulations overview
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