Richardson, TX Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Richardson, TX, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Firepit setback
- 10 feet from structure/combustibles
- Bonfires
- Prohibited outright
- Attendance
- Constant, until extinguished
- On-site equipment
- 4-A extinguisher or equivalent
- Max fine
- $2,000 for fire-safety violations
- County burn ban
- Automatically extends into city
Summary
Richardson bans bonfires outright and requires any permanently installed outdoor firepit to sit at least 10 feet from a structure or combustible material. Recreational fires and outdoor fireplaces must be constantly attended and backed by a fire extinguisher until fully out.
307.4.4 Permanent Outdoor Firepit. Permanently installed outdoor firepits for recreational fire purposes shall not be installed within 10 feet of a structure or combustible material. Exception: Permanently installed outdoor fireplaces constructed in accordance with the International Residential Code or International Building Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
The Richardson Fire Code, adopted at Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-27 as the International Fire Code, 2021 Edition, amends IFC Section 307 in Sec. 8-28 to govern open burning citywide. 4 to be legal at all. 4 sets the controlling distance for anyone installing a permanent firepit: it cannot go in within 10 feet of a structure or combustible material. The only carve-out is for permanently installed outdoor fireplaces built to the International Residential Code or International Building Code, which follow those construction standards instead of the 10-foot rule.
5 layers on an attendance duty: recreational fires and outdoor fireplaces must be constantly watched until extinguished, and the site must keep at least one portable fire extinguisher rated 4-A (or equivalent on-site equipment such as dirt, sand, a water barrel, garden hose or water truck) ready for immediate use. Sec. 2 adds a countywide layer specific to Richardson's split-county footprint: if either the Collin County or Dallas County Commissioners Court issues a burn ban for unincorporated areas, that ban automatically extends into the incorporated city limits of Richardson, covering the same open-burning and cooking-device sections.
The fire code official can order extinguishment of any open burning under Sec. 3, and enforcement runs through the fire prevention division inside the Richardson Fire Department under Sec. 8-29.
Violations & Fines
Violating the fire code's open-burning and firepit-location rules is a Code of Ordinances offense punishable under the general penalty at Sec. 1-8: a fine up to $2,000.00 applies specifically to violations of fire-safety provisions, higher than the standard $500.00 cap for other Code violations. Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense, and the fire code official can independently order the fire extinguished under Section 307.3 regardless of any citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a permanent outdoor firepit be from my house in Richardson?
Can I have a bonfire in my backyard?
Does a Collin or Dallas County burn ban apply inside Richardson?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Richardson
How Richardson compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Richardson to another location·View the Texas fire regulations overview
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Fire Pits & Backyard Fires in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle fire pits & backyard fires.