Mariposa County, CA Fire Regulations: Fire Pit Rules (2026)

Mariposa County is entirely unincorporated and lies in a CAL FIRE State Responsibility Area, so recreational fires are governed by state wildland-fire rules and the Mariposa County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) rather than a city code. When CAL FIRE suspends residential burn permits during fire season, the suspension does 'not apply to campfires within organized campgrounds or on private property,' and campfires 'may be permitted if the campfire is maintained in such a manner as to prevent its spread to the wildland.' In practice this means using a contained, approved fire pit, clearing bare ground around it, keeping the fire small and attended by an adult, and having water and tools ready to extinguish it. A California Campfire Permit is generally required to maintain a campfire on private wildland or in many camp settings, and these are available free at local fire stations or through PreventWildfireCA.org. Even where campfires are allowed, the underlying defensible-space and nuisance-smoke rules still apply: fires must be fully extinguished before leaving, must use clean dry wood, and must not create a smoke nuisance for neighbors. During Red Flag Warnings or local fire restrictions, even contained campfires may be prohibited, so residents should confirm current restrictions with CAL FIRE or county fire before lighting any outdoor fire.