San Bernardino, CA Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in San Bernardino, CA, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Permit needed
- No, if device meets all three conditions
- Spark arrester mesh
- 1/4 inch or finer, galvanized or copper
- Clearance required
- 10-foot radius free of flammables
- Enforcing agency
- City Fire Department
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 8.63.010
Summary
San Bernardino lets residents burn in properly built incinerators, outdoor water heaters, cooking grills and similar devices without a Fire Department permit, but only if the chimney carries a spark arrester screen no coarser than one-quarter inch and every opening is spark-tight. The ground within ten feet of the device must stay clear of anything flammable.
provided, that no permit will be necessary to burn inflammable material in properly constructed incinerators, outdoor water heating units, cooking grills and other similar devices having chimneys covered with spark arresters consisting of galvanized or copper screening of a mesh not larger than one-fourth of an inch, and openings such as doors, to be spark tight and otherwise approved by the Fire Department, and where the land around such incinerator, outdoor water heating units, cooking grills and other similar devices is cleared of all inflammable material within a radius of at least ten feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-2: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. MC-1666, passed 8-5-2026).
Full Breakdown
010 of the Municipal Code, the same section that requires a permit for open burning generally, carves out backyard fire pits, grills and outdoor water heaters from that permit requirement, provided the device is properly constructed. The exemption sets three concrete conditions: the chimney or flue must be covered with a spark arrester of galvanized or copper screening with mesh no larger than one-quarter inch; doors and other openings on the device must be spark-tight and Fire Department-approved; and the land surrounding the incinerator, water heater, grill or similar device must be cleared of all inflammable material for a radius of at least ten feet.
Miss any one of those three conditions and the burn falls back under the general permit requirement, meaning the resident must first obtain a written permit from the City Fire Department before lighting the device. 080. 030 no matter which permit status applies.
Violations & Fines
Burning in a fire pit, grill or incinerator that lacks the required quarter-inch spark arrester mesh, spark-tight openings or ten-foot cleared radius is treated as unpermitted open burning under Section 8.63.010, an infraction under Section 8.63.140 punished per Section 1.12.010: up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second and $500 for each further offense within a year, escalating to a misdemeanor with up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine on a fourth offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a fire pit in my backyard in San Bernardino without a permit?
How far must a fire pit be from anything flammable in San Bernardino?
Are portable fire pits allowed in San Bernardino's hazardous fire area?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Bernardino
How San Bernardino compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare San Bernardino to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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Fire Pits & Backyard Fires in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle fire pits & backyard fires.