Fire pit rules in Philadelphia, PA — also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances — cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Philadelphia permits portable outdoor fireplaces (patio fireplaces, chimeneas) only when they meet the safety conditions set out in Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) Code Bulletin F-0602 R1. They must be fully enclosed with a spark-arresting screen, kept at least 15 feet from any structure, used only with clean wood/charcoal/propane fuel, and constantly attended until extinguished.
Unregulated outdoor fires are otherwise prohibited in Philadelphia (Fire Code Section 307 and Air Management Code Section 3-202), but L&I Code Bulletin F-0602 R1, jointly issued by the Chief Code Official and the Chief Fire Code Official, treats manufactured patio fireplaces as a regulated exception rather than 'open burning.' The bulletin requires that the device be completely enclosed with solid material or heavy-duty screening (units burning wood must have a top screen to stop large embers), that only non-pressure-treated wood, charcoal, fireplace logs, or propane be burned (no waste material or anything that causes excessive smoke or noxious odors), that the unit sit at least 15 feet from a structure including decks and balconies, that it be placed on a stable, reasonably level surface, and that it never be used on a deck, inside a tent, or under any roof. The fire code official retains authority under Fire Code Section 603.7 to halt operation of any heat-producing device that creates an immediate fire hazard.
An outdoor fireplace operated outside these requirements is treated as unlawful open burning, and the fire code official may order it extinguished and issue a Fire Code violation under Philadelphia Code Title 4. The device may be shut down immediately under Section 603.7 if it presents an immediate fire hazard.
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