Bay County, FL Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)

Section 5-88(f) of the Bay County Code lets a beach bonfire happen only on private property, only under a county permit, only in compliance with the Florida Fire Protection Code, and only after paying whatever fee the Board of County Commissioners sets by resolution. A property owner or condominium association can block permits on its own parcel simply by notifying Bay County Emergency Services in writing. No fire may burn within 250 feet of a marked sea turtle nest, within 50 feet of the vegetation line, or within 100 feet of any habitable structure, and any fire within 400 feet of a marked nest must be screened to cut its visible light; a fire must stop immediately if an unmarked nest or turtle activity turns up.

Wood fires cannot be permitted when winds exceed 10 miles per hour, and no fire permit issues at all on January 1, July 4 or December 31, or during a temporary burn ban. to midnight, with the site fully cleaned and restored to natural condition by the midnight cutoff. Every fire must burn only propane gas or organic wood in an elevated fire pit no more than three feet in diameter, the permit holder must stay on site the whole time with the permit available for inspection, and only one fire is allowed per address or per 200 feet of beach frontage, whichever is fewer. 5-gallon NFPA-10-tagged fire extinguisher must be kept on site.