Madera County, CA Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Madera County, CA, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Wood-burning fire pits
- prohibited at STRs
- Gas/propane pits allowed
- 20-lb tank or smaller
- Required setback
- 10 feet from structure
- Guest-owned pits
- not permitted
Summary
Short-term rentals in unincorporated Madera County cannot have open wood-burning fire pits, bonfires, or campfires; only rental-provided propane or gas pits with small tanks, set ten feet from any structure, are allowed.
No open wood burning fire pits, bonfires, or campfires are permitted at short-term rentals. Natural gas/propane burning fireplaces and fire pits with twenty-pound or smaller tanks provided by the short-term rental are allowed outside provided the device is at least ten feet from any structure and/or flammable materials. Guests shall not bring any personal fireplaces or firepits, whether wood or natural gas/propane burning, to the short-term rental.C.Defensible space. A person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in, upon, or adjoining a mountainous area, forest-covered lands, shrub-covered lands, grass-covered lands, or land that is covered with flammable material, is responsible for compliance with Public Resources Code Section 4291 - Defensible Space Regulations. The Public Resources Code is maintained and enforced by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (Ord. No. 529C, § 1, 5-13-26)
Editor's note— Ord. No. 529C, § 1, adopted 5-13-26 renumbered the former § 9.32.100 as § 9.32.110 and enacted a new § 9.32.100 as set out herein. The historical notation has been retained with the amended provisions for reference purposes.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52).
Full Breakdown
Madera County Code § 9.32.100(B) bans open wood-burning fire pits, bonfires, and campfires at short-term rentals in the unincorporated county. Natural gas or propane fire pits and fireplaces are permitted outdoors only if the tank is twenty pounds or smaller, the unit is provided by the rental itself rather than brought by a guest, and it sits at least ten feet from any structure or flammable material. This is a short-term-rental fire-safety rule inside Chapter 9.32 (Fire Regulations); the code has no separate general fire-pit ordinance for owner-occupied homes.
Violations & Fines
Enforced under Chapter 9.32's fire-regulation penalties, which run through Chapter 1.12 of the county code; unpermitted fires can also be charged as a public nuisance under Chapter 7.20.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a wood-burning fire pit at a Madera County vacation rental?
Is a propane fire pit allowed instead?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madera County
How Madera County compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Madera County to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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