Tulsa, OK Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Tulsa, OK, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Private-property recreational fires
- no permit required
- Public street/alley/park fires
- operational permit required
- Enforcing official
- Fire code official (Fire Marshal)
- Max penalty
- $1,200 fine / 6 months jail
Summary
Tulsa exempts recreational fires and portable outdoor fireplaces on private property from the fire code's open-burning permit. The same fire on a street, alley, park, or other public land is treated as open burning and needs a permit.
105.6.32 Open Burning-Amendatory. It shall be unlawful and a misdemeanor offense for any person to kindle or maintain an open fire or a fire on any public street, alley, road, or other public or private ground within the corporate limits of the City of Tulsa, without first having procured an operational permit... Exception: Recreational fires and portable outdoor fireplaces in use on privately-owned property, which do not require an operational permit. Recreational fires and portable outdoor fireplaces on any public street, alley, road, park, or right-of-way or any other public land are considered to be open burning and a violation of this subsection and shall require an operational permit.
Full Breakdown
The Tulsa Fire Prevention Code makes it a misdemeanor to kindle or maintain an open fire anywhere in the city without an operational permit from the fire code official, but it carves out recreational fires and portable outdoor fireplaces used on privately-owned property, such as a backyard fire pit, from that permit requirement entirely. Move the same fire onto a public street, alley, road, park, or right-of-way and it reverts to regulated open burning, which does require a permit and the instructions on that permit must be followed exactly.
Violations & Fines
Unpermitted open burning outside the private-property exception is a misdemeanor: up to a $1,200 fine, up to 6 months in jail, or both, with each day of the violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a fire pit in my Tulsa backyard?
Can I have a bonfire in a Tulsa park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tulsa
How Tulsa compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare Tulsa to another location·View the Oklahoma 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.