Parma, OH Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Parma, OH, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Parma Codified Ordinances § 660.46(c)(2)(B)
- Max fire pit size
- 3 ft diameter, 2 ft height, no permit
- Allowed fuel
- Clean seasoned firewood or equally clean fuel
- Waste burning
- Prohibited in any recreational fire
- Ceremonial bonfire option
- Up to 5x5 ft with 10-day EPA notice
- Penalty
- Minor misdemeanor, separate offense per day
Summary
Parma allows bonfires, campfires and outdoor fireplace equipment for cooking, warmth or recreation without any Ohio EPA permit, but Section 660.46(c)(2)(B) caps the fire at three feet across and two feet high, requires clean seasoned firewood or an equally clean fuel, and bans using it to burn trash.
(c) Open Burning in Restricted Areas. (1) No person or property owner shall cause or allow open burning in a restricted area except as provided in divisions (b) to (d) of this section or in Ohio R.C. 3704.11. (2) Open burning shall be allowed for the following purposes without notification to or permission from the Ohio EPA: ... B. Bonfires, campfires and outdoor fireplace equipment, whether for cooking food for human consumption, pleasure, religious, ceremonial, warmth, recreational, or similar purposes, if the following conditions are met: 1. They are fueled with clean seasoned firewood, natural gas or equivalent, or any clean burning fuel with emissions that are equivalent to or lower than those created from the burning of seasoned firewood; 2. They are not used for waste disposal purposes; and 3. They shall have a total fuel area of three feet or less in diameter and two feet or less in height. ... (e) Penalty. Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. A separate offense shall be deemed committed each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-30: Local legislation current to August 3, 2026 | State legislation current to June 25, 2025).
Full Breakdown
46, Open Burning, incorporates Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 3745-19 and was enacted by Ordinance 51-96, passed February 20, 1996. It defines 'open burning' as burning where combustion emissions go straight into the air without passing through a stack or chimney, and it applies inside Parma's 'restricted area,' the OAC term covering incorporated municipalities. 46(c)(2)(B) lets residents build a bonfire, campfire or outdoor fireplace, including one used for cooking food for human consumption, without notifying or getting permission from the Ohio EPA, as long as three conditions are met: the fuel is clean seasoned firewood, natural gas or an equally clean-burning substitute; the fire is never used to dispose of waste; and the total fuel area stays at three feet or less in diameter and two feet or less in height.
A separate provision, division (c)(3)B, lets a ceremonial bonfire run larger, up to five feet by five feet and burning for as long as three hours, but only after the resident gives the Ohio EPA at least ten working days' written notice. Fires that exceed either set of limits, or that are lit to burn debris or trash, fall outside both exemptions and require the full open-burn permission process in division (d), which the Ohio EPA can take up to ten working days to review.
Violations & Fines
A violation of any part of Section 660.46, including exceeding the three-foot-by-two-foot recreational fire pit limit or burning waste in it, is a minor misdemeanor, and a separate offense is charged for each day the violation continues. The offender must also pay the City's cost of properly disposing of whatever was illegally burned, on top of any court fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can a fire pit be in Parma without a permit?
Can I build a bigger bonfire for a special occasion?
What's the penalty for an oversized or illegal fire pit in Parma?
Do I need a permit to cook food over an open fire in my backyard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Parma
How Parma compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare Parma to another location·View the Ohio fire regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cuyahoga County handle fire pits & backyard fires.