Pacifica, CA Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)

Chapter 10 of Title 4 of the Pacifica Municipal Code governs fires at every City beach, park, mini-park and recreation facility, from Rockaway Beach and Pacifica State Beach to Frontierland Park. 118(a)(6) makes it unlawful to light, build, use or maintain a fire anywhere in a regulated area except in a fireplace, barbecue facility or firepit that the City has provided or designated for that purpose. Any fire that is allowed must be kept in a way that does not threaten a person, natural area or structure, must stay contained within the fireplace, barbecue facility or firepit, and the flame itself cannot climb higher than forty-eight inches.

The section is explicit that none of this waives or loosens any separate requirement of the Pacifica Fire Code, so a beach bonfire that clears the height limit can still draw a Fire Code citation. Before leaving, the person responsible for the fire must fully extinguish hot coals and embers inside the fireplace, barbecue facility or firepit; dumping still-hot ash or coals anywhere on a beach, mini-park or parkland is a separate violation of the same subsection. 100(b), and Police and Park Rangers issue citations for violations spotted on patrol. 118, it is enforced alongside the chapter's camping and loitering rules rather than through a separate permit process.