Santa Clara County, CA Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Santa Clara County, CA, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Where fires allowed
- Camp stove/fireplace only
- Combustible clearance
- 5 feet minimum
- Scope
- County Park land only
- Violation
- Misdemeanor
Summary
In unincorporated Santa Clara County parks, open fires are barred except in a provided camp stove or fireplace, and every campfire needs five feet of cleared ground around it.
(a)No fire shall be built, lighted, or maintained within any Park Area except in a camp stove or fireplace provided in areas designated for such purposes.(b)All campfires must be extinguished before leaving any Park Area unattended.(c)The Director may restrict fire use. Each person in a Park Area shall comply with these restrictions.(1)Without a Valid Permit issued by the Director, no person shall build, light, or maintain a fire when notice is given that no fires are allowed. Notice of such restrictions or requirements will be conspicuously posted or otherwise provided.(d)The Director may restrict fires to charcoal or gas stoves only in designated areas. Each person in a Park Area shall comply with these restrictions.(1)Without a Valid Permit issued by the Director, no person shall build, light or maintain a fire using restricted materials when notice is given that fires utilizing such materials are prohibited. Notice of such restrictions or requirements will be conspicuously posted or otherwise provided.(e)A person who violates or fails to comply with any part of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor. (Ord. No. NS-702.93, 1-9-18)
Sec. B14-21.3. - Removal of combustible materials near fires. Any person building a campfire shall remove all dead wood, moss, dry leaves, and other combustible or flammable material a minimum of five feet (or such greater distance as needed or required by other law or County policies) from open flame in order to minimize fire danger.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
Santa Clara County Ordinance Code § B14-21.2 confines fire in County Parks to a camp stove or fireplace in an area the Director has designated for that purpose, no open fire pits elsewhere, and requires every campfire be fully extinguished before the site is left unattended. The Director can further restrict fires to charcoal or gas only, or ban them outright, by posted notice. Section B14-21.3 adds a mandatory five-foot clearance of dead wood, moss, dry leaves, and other combustible material around any campfire. This governs County Park land only; it does not set backyard fire pit rules for private property in the unincorporated area.
Violations & Fines
Building, lighting, or maintaining a fire outside a designated stove or fireplace, or in violation of a posted restriction, is a misdemeanor under § B14-21.2(e).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a campfire anywhere in a Santa Clara County park?
Does this rule cover fire pits at my home in unincorporated Santa Clara County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clara County
How Santa Clara County compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Clara County to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.