Stamford, CT Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Stamford, CT, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Recreational fires
- Exempt from open burning ban
- Allowed fuel
- Nonprocessed wood only
- Attendance
- Never leave a fire unattended
- Nuisance
- Must not create a nuisance
- Governing sections
- §§ 127-5(A)(1)(b), 127-6
Summary
Stamford exempts recreational campfires and bonfires from its open burning ban, but only if you burn nonprocessed wood, avoid creating a nuisance, and never walk away: unattended outdoor fires are a separate violation.
1.Open burning is the kindling of an outdoor fire to burn any material but shall not include:...b.Campfires, bonfires, and other fires for purely ceremonial or recreational purposes, provided only nonprocessed wood is used and the burning is conducted so as not to create a nuisance. ... Sec. 127-6. - Untended outdoor fires prohibited. No person shall leave any outdoor fire unattended.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72).
Full Breakdown
Section 127-5(A)(1)(b) doesn't ban backyard campfires and bonfires: it defines them out of 'open burning' in the first place, as long as only nonprocessed wood is burned and the fire doesn't create a nuisance. That exemption comes with a companion duty next door in § 127-6: no person may leave any outdoor fire, recreational or otherwise, unattended. There's no permit or registration step for a backyard fire that meets both conditions, but walking away from it, burning trash or lumber scraps, or letting smoke or noise bother neighbors takes it outside the exemption.
Violations & Fines
Section 127-6 itself sets no fine for leaving a fire unattended, so the citywide general penalty in § 1-18 fills the gap: up to $250 per violation, enforceable in addition to putting the fire out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a bonfire in my Stamford backyard?
Do I have to watch my backyard fire the whole time?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stamford
How Stamford compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare Stamford to another location·View the Connecticut fire regulations overview
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Fire Pits & Backyard Fires in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle fire pits & backyard fires.