Fire pit rules in Humboldt County, CA — also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances — cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Small recreational and ceremonial campfires (warming, cooking, ambiance) do not require a North Coast Unified AQMD burn permit, but a CAL FIRE permit may apply in State Responsibility Areas during fire season.
The North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District (NCUAQMD), the air agency for unincorporated Humboldt County, exempts recreational and ceremonial fires from its burn-permit requirement. Burning natural vegetation for disposal (i.e., yard waste) still requires a $20 NCUAQMD Standard Burn Permit, and during declared fire season (typically May 1 through fall) any open flame in a State Responsibility Area also needs a free CAL FIRE Residential Burn Permit. Recreational fires must be small, attended, and not used as a workaround to burn prohibited materials such as garbage, plastic, painted or treated wood, or construction debris. State law (PRC 4291) separately requires 100 feet of defensible space around any structure in an SRA, which effectively governs where a backyard fire pit can safely be located.
Operating an unpermitted disposal burn or burning prohibited materials can result in NCUAQMD notices of violation, civil penalties, and liability for suppression costs if the fire escapes. Causing a wildfire through negligence is prosecutable under Health & Safety Code and PRC provisions and can lead to misdemeanor charges plus full restitution.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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