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

Sec. 22-54(b)(1)(a) makes it unlawful to ignite or maintain a bonfire or any open flame on the Gulf beach without a SWFD permit. Setbacks apply regardless of permit status: no fire within 200 feet of a marked sea turtle nest, within 50 feet of the vegetation line, within 100 feet of a habitable structure, or within 30 feet of another permitted fire on county-maintained beach.

Subsection (f) sets container rules. All fires must burn in a container approved by the SWFD, using only combustible, non-toxic material free of nails and glass. Wood fire pits need a steel bottom raised at least four inches off the sand. Propane fire pits must be UL- or CSA-listed, run on a standard 20-pound (max) propane bottle, use a regulator hose at least five feet long, and cannot exceed three feet in diameter, also sitting a minimum of four inches off the sand. Fire rings or pits with no bottom at all are 'strictly prohibited.' A working five-pound ABC fire extinguisher meeting NFPA 10 must be on site at all times, fires cannot be left unattended, and charcoal grills are banned outright, though small propane grills under 225 square inches are allowed.

Permits come from the SWFD coordinator and require the applicant's name, license number, the date, time, and location of the fire, materials to be burned, and written consent of the private property owner if applicable; the fee is set by county resolution. Cleanup deadlines are seasonal: from March through October, fire pits and remnants must be off the beach by midnight; from November through February, by 11:00 p.m. A permit can be denied if SWFD believes the fire will endanger public safety or if the state issues a no-burn order, and violations of Chapter 22 carry a civil fine of up to $500.00 per day under Sec. 22-62(a).