Fire pit rules in Napa, CA — also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances — cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Napa adopts the California Fire Code through Title 15 of the Napa Municipal Code. Under California Fire Code Section 307.4.2, recreational fires are limited to 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height, with a 25-foot setback from any structure or combustible material. Recreational burning is also subject to Bay Area Air Quality Management District wood-smoke rules and to CAL FIRE Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit (LNU) declared fire-season restrictions.
The City of Napa adopts the California Fire Code through Title 15 of the Napa Municipal Code, which the Napa Fire Department enforces inside city limits. California Fire Code Section 307.4.2 limits open recreational fires to a 3-foot diameter by 2-foot height pile, requires a 25-foot clearance from structures and combustible material, and requires a portable outdoor fireplace to be set back at least 15 feet. Only clean dry seasoned firewood may be burned — trash, leaves, treated lumber, plywood, plastic, pallets, and yard waste are prohibited under CFC Section 307 and Bay Area Air Quality Management District Regulation 5 (Open Burning). BAAQMD also declares 'Spare the Air' alerts during winter inversion episodes that prohibit residential wood-burning across the nine-county Bay Area, including Napa. During CAL FIRE Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit (LNU) fire-season declarations and any National Weather Service Red Flag Warning, outdoor wood burning is suspended. Gas-fueled fire pits and propane patio fireplaces remain available because they do not generate wood smoke or embers. An adult with a means of extinguishment (hose, bucket, or shovel) must remain with the fire until it is fully out.
The Napa Fire Department or any peace officer may order an unsafe recreational fire extinguished under CFC Section 307. Violations of the adopted Fire Code through Title 15 are subject to administrative citation and the general penalty provisions of the Napa Municipal Code. Burning on a BAAQMD Spare the Air day or burning prohibited materials carries a separate air-district civil penalty (typically $100 first violation, escalating thereafter), and any escape that ignites neighboring property triggers full CAL FIRE suppression-cost liability under California Health & Safety Code Section 13009.
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