Fire pit rules in Orange County, CA — also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances — cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
OCFA, which serves all unincorporated Orange County, follows the California Fire Code. Recreational fire pits must stay at least 25 feet from any structure, with a fuel pile no more than 3 feet across and 2 feet high. Outdoor wood/solid-fuel fires are banned when winds exceed 8 mph and humidity is below 25%, or during Red Flag conditions.
Orange County does not write a separate fire-pit code for its unincorporated areas; instead the County and OCFA enforce the California Fire Code (CCR Title 24, Part 9) with OCFA amendments. California Fire Code Section 307.4.2 limits a recreational fire to a fuel area no greater than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height, and requires it to be kept at least 25 feet (7,620 mm) from any structure or combustible material. Section 307.4.3 allows portable outdoor fireplaces but requires them to be operated per the manufacturer's instructions and kept at least 15 feet (3,048 mm) from a structure or combustible material - except at one- and two-family dwellings, where that 15-foot setback does not apply. OCFA fire-prevention standards add a weather restriction: outdoor fires burning wood or other solid fuel are not allowed when predicted sustained winds exceed 8 mph and relative humidity is less than 25 percent, or when a Red Flag condition has been declared, or when an official no-burn sign is posted by the fire code official. Under Section 307.5, any fire must be constantly attended until extinguished and a fire extinguisher or other approved means of extinguishment must be readily available. Gas and propane fire pits are not subject to the wood-smoke restrictions.
Recreational-fire and open-burning violations of the California Fire Code are enforced by OCFA under the fire code official's authority (CFC Section 307.3), who may order any fire extinguished when it creates a hazard or lacks a required permit. Fire-code violations are generally prosecuted as misdemeanors. During the South Coast AQMD 'Check Before You Burn' season (November-February), burning wood in an outdoor fire pit on a no-burn day is separately prohibited under AQMD Rule 445.
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