San Bernardino County, CA Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)

County Code § 84.28.070(j), the Safety subsection of the Short-Term Residential Rental (STR) permit chapter, prohibits solid fuel burning outdoor fireplaces, chimineas, barbeques and fire pits at any STR located in the County's Mountain Region. The ban targets wood- and charcoal-burning devices; the code does not restrict gas or propane appliances under this subsection. The same subsection requires STR owners countywide to keep the interior and exterior of the rental free of hazardous conditions at all times, and to keep spas and hot tubs covered and locked whenever they are not in use.

The rule sits inside Chapter 84.28, adopted by Ordinance 4011 in 2007 and amended by Ordinances 4331 (2017), 4371 (2019), 4400 (2021) and 4439 (2022), and it binds STR owners, renters, occupants and guests. It does not reach owner-occupied homes that are not permitted as short-term rentals, and the solid-fuel ban does not extend to STRs in the County's Desert Region.

Enforcement runs through § 84.28.080: County staff or an enforcement officer defined in Title 1, Division 1, Chapter 2 may take remedial action for a violation, without prior notice, if the risk is immediate or if earlier verbal or written notice has not produced compliance. A general violation of § 84.28.070, including an unauthorized fire pit or unsecured spa, can also trigger suspension of the STR permit under § 84.28.090(a)(2) until the condition is abated or a hearing officer rules for the owner. Remedial actions, other than criminal citations, may be appealed under Title 1, Division 1, Chapter 2, though filing an appeal does not stay the County's remedial action.