Fire pit rules in Tehama County, CA — also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances — cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Backyard recreational fire pits in unincorporated Tehama County follow the California Fire Code. Open recreational fires must be under 3 feet across and 2 feet high and kept at least 25 feet from structures; manufactured portable fire pits must be at least 15 feet from anything combustible and attended at all times.
Tehama County adopts the California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9) as part of its building and fire regulations, enforced in unincorporated areas by CAL FIRE / Tehama County Fire. Under California Fire Code section 307.4.2, a recreational fire (an outdoor wood or charcoal fire for warmth, cooking, or pleasure) must have a fuel area no larger than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height and must be located at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible material. Manufactured portable outdoor fireplaces and chimineas must be used per the manufacturer's instructions and kept at least 15 feet from a structure or combustible material under section 307.4.3, with a reduced setback allowed only at one- and two-family dwellings. Gas- and charcoal-fueled cooking appliances (BBQ grills) are treated separately from recreational fires. Any open fire must be constantly attended until fully extinguished, with a water supply or fire extinguisher and a shovel kept nearby. Because Tehama County's foothills and mountains lie in a State Responsibility Area, a CAL FIRE burn permit and permissive-burn-day check are required during declared fire season, and fire-pit use can be restricted under red-flag or high-fire-danger conditions. Tehama County Air Pollution Control District rules also govern what may be burned.
An unattended or oversized fire, or a fire that escapes control, can be cited by Tehama County Fire and the owner held liable for all damages and suppression costs under California Health & Safety Code section 13009. Violations of the adopted Fire Code are enforced as the county provides for code violations, and the fire official may order any hazardous fire immediately extinguished. Recreational fires during a burn ban or red-flag warning are prohibited.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Backyard composting is allowed and encouraged. California's SB 1383 organics-recycling law requires jurisdictions to provide organic-waste collection and div...
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Unincorporated Tehama County has no ordinance banning or specifically regulating residential artificial turf. There is no county lawn-material rule. Syntheti...
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Native and drought-tolerant landscaping is encouraged, not restricted. Tehama County's General Plan promotes native plants in its oak-woodland and restoratio...
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Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged. California's Rainwater Capture Act (Water Code §10574) lets landowners install rain barrels for outdoor non-pot...
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Unincorporated Tehama County has no countywide outdoor-watering schedule ordinance; its General Plan encourages conservation and defers to state agencies. St...
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Unincorporated Tehama County abates weeds, dry grass, brush and combustible debris through its Fire Hazard Abatement chapter (Code Ch. 9.05), backed by the F...
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