Perris, CA Fire Regulations: Fire Pit Rules (2026)

Perris adopts the California Fire Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 9) through Title 20 — Fire Protection Regulations of the Perris Municipal Code, and fire prevention is administered by CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire under contract. Under California Fire Code Chapter 3, a 'recreational fire' is an outdoor fire burning clean wood, charcoal or other approved fuel with a fuel area three feet or less in diameter and two feet or less in height, used for cooking, warmth or similar purposes — distinct from larger 'open burning.' Section 307.4.2 requires that recreational fires not be conducted within 25 feet of a structure or combustible material, and conditions that could cause the fire to spread within 25 feet must be eliminated before ignition. Manufactured 'portable outdoor fireplaces' (store-bought fire pits and chimineas) are addressed in Section 307.4.3, which bars use within 15 feet of a structure or combustible material but provides an exception for portable outdoor fireplaces used at one- and two-family dwellings. Gas-fueled fire pits that burn only natural gas or propane (no wood) are generally treated more permissively than wood-burning ones. Section 307.5 requires that any recreational fire or portable outdoor fireplace be constantly attended until fully extinguished, with a garden hose, fire extinguisher or other approved means of extinguishment readily available. Wood smoke is also subject to South Coast AQMD rules, including mandatory no-burn days and the district's nuisance rule, because non-desert Riverside County including Perris lies within the South Coast Air Basin.