Palm Coast, FL Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Palm Coast, FL, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Permit needed
- No, for compliant fireplaces/cooking fires
- Size cap
- 3 ft diameter, 3 ft flame height
- Attendance
- Must be constantly attended while cooking
- Warming fires
- Metal barrel only, below 45°F
- Enforced by
- Fire Marshal, § 25-76
Summary
Palm Coast lets residents run outdoor fireplaces and cooking fires without a Fire Marshal permit under City Code § 25-52(1)(d), as long as the fire is conducted safely and does not create a nuisance. Cooking fires are capped at three feet in diameter and three feet of flame height, and must be constantly attended.
d.The following types of open burning do not require permitting by the Fire Marshal and are permitted if conducted in a safe manner and without the creation of a nuisance:1.Outdoor fireplaces, kilns, ovens or other similarly approved devices.2.Outdoor cooking fires that are engaged in bona fide food provision are constantly attended while cooking food and are no larger than three feet in diameter with flames no higher than three feet.3.Warming fires conducted at work sites in a metal barrel when the temperature is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 44 | Land Development Code: Supplement 18).
Full Breakdown
Section 25-52 is a local amendment to the Florida Fire Prevention Code that governs burning citywide. While most open burning requires a Fire Marshal permit, subsection (1)(d) exempts three narrow categories from permitting entirely: outdoor fireplaces, kilns, ovens or similarly approved devices; outdoor cooking fires tied to bona fide food preparation that are constantly attended and no larger than three feet in diameter with flames no higher than three feet; and warming fires burned in a metal barrel at job sites, but only when the temperature is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
All three still carry the same condition: the fire must be conducted in a safe manner and must not create a nuisance, which gives the Fire Marshal grounds to act even without a permit requirement. This exemption sits inside the broader Sec. 25-52 open-burning scheme (Ord. No. 06-06, § 1, adopted 4-18-06), which otherwise bans burning of trash, lawn debris and commercial waste and requires a permit for ceremonial fires, land clearing, prescribed burns and campfires. The Standard Fire Prevention Code (1988 edition) is separately adopted by reference in Sec. 25-51 and supplies the baseline fire-safety standards this local amendment builds on.
Violations & Fines
A fire pit or cooking fire that exceeds the three-foot diameter/height limit, is left unattended, or creates smoke or nuisance complaints loses its exemption and can be treated as unpermitted open burning. Fire Marshal inspectors enforce the fire safety code under Sec. 25-76 and may issue an order under Sec. 25-79, served on the occupant or owner (by mail if unavailable), to remedy the violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a fire pit in Palm Coast?
Is there a size limit on a Palm Coast backyard cooking fire?
Can I burn in a barrel to stay warm on a job site?
What if my fire pit smoke bothers my neighbors?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Coast
How Palm Coast compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Palm Coast to another location·View the Florida fire regulations overview
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