Mount Pleasant, SC Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Mount Pleasant, SC, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Exempt uses
- Warmth, recreation, ceremonies, cooking food, § 92.30(B)
- Grills
- Grill/barbeque used only for cooking isn't 'burning'
- Condition
- Must be done in a 'safe manner'
- No numeric limit
- No stated setback/size for recreational fires
- Falls outside exemption
- Unattended or unsafe fires revert to § 92.30(A) ban
- General penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 30 days jail if unsafe
Summary
Backyard fire pits, grills, and other recreational fires are exempt from the Town of Mount Pleasant's open-burning ban. Section 92.30(B) protects fires for warmth, recreation, ceremonies, or cooking food for immediate consumption, and (C) confirms a barbeque or charcoal grill used only for cooking isn't burning at all.
(B) This section is not intended to restrict open burning related to human warmth, fires used for recreational purposes, ceremonial observances, or with the preparation of food for immediate consumption that are accomplished in a safe manner. (C) A fire contained within a barbeque or charcoal grill appliance, and used for the sole purpose of cooking, is not considered burning. ... § 10.99 GENERAL PENALTY. (A) ... the offender shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than 30 days.
Full Breakdown
30(A) does not reach the ordinary backyard fire pit or grill. Division (B) says the burning restriction is not intended to restrict open burning related to human warmth, fires used for recreational purposes, ceremonial observances, or with the preparation of food for immediate consumption, provided those fires are accomplished in a safe manner. Division (C) goes a step further for grills specifically: a fire contained within a barbeque or charcoal grill appliance, used solely for cooking, is not even classified as burning under the chapter at all.
Together the two divisions carve recreational fire pits, chimineas, ceremonial bonfires, and backyard grills out of the same section that otherwise requires an attended fire, a non-combustible screened container, and on-site extinguishing equipment for anything else burned outside a structure. 32 sets a 1,000-foot separation and pile-size limits for permitted burning, not for this recreational carve-out. 02's State Fire Marshal rules.
Violations & Fines
A recreational fire that isn't handled in a safe manner, such as one left unattended or that spreads, falls outside the § 92.30(B) exemption and becomes an unlawful outdoor fire under § 92.30(A), punishable under the Code's general penalty in § 10.99: a fine of up to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a backyard fire pit in Mount Pleasant?
Is a charcoal grill considered 'burning' under the fire code?
Is there a required distance from my house or fence for a fire pit?
Can my recreational fire still get me in trouble?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Pleasant
How Mount Pleasant compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare Mount Pleasant to another location·View the South Carolina fire regulations overview
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Fire Pits & Backyard Fires in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Charleston County handle fire pits & backyard fires.