Fire pit rules in Rowlett, TX — also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances — cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Rowlett allows fire pits only at one- and two-family homes. Under its adopted fire code, a permanently installed outdoor fire pit must sit at least 10 feet from any structure or combustible material (Sec. 307.4.4), and a portable outdoor fireplace or chiminea must be operated at least 15 feet away (Sec. 307.4.3). Both are prohibited at apartments and townhomes.
Rowlett regulates fire pits through its locally amended International Fire Code, summarized on the City's 'Open Fires and Cooking' page. Section 307.4.4 provides that 'permanently installed outdoor firepits for recreational fire purposes shall not be installed within (10) ten feet of a structure or combustible material.' Portable outdoor fireplaces - chimineas and similar movable units - are governed by Section 307.4.3, which states they 'shall not be operated within 15 feet (3048 mm) of a structure or combustible material.' Crucially, both types are limited to one- and two-family dwellings. The City prohibits portable outdoor fireplaces and recreational fire devices at multifamily buildings (three or more units) and at attached townhomes that are three or more units or two or more stories. So a backyard fire pit at a detached single-family house is allowed if it keeps the required clearance, but the same device is not permitted on an apartment or townhome patio or balcony. Recreational fires must still be controlled and cannot become offensive or hazardous because of smoke. These provisions sit alongside the City's open-burning prohibition (Sec. 307.1.1), which bans burning refuse, debris, and yard waste - so a fire pit is for a contained recreational/cooking fire, not for disposing of leaves or brush.
Installing or using a fire pit closer than the required clearance (10 feet permanent, 15 feet portable), or using one at a prohibited multifamily or townhome property, violates Rowlett's adopted fire code and is enforced by Rowlett Fire Rescue's fire marshal. A fire that produces offensive or hazardous smoke can be ordered extinguished.
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