Fire pit rules in Washtenaw County, MI — also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances — cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Washtenaw County sets no countywide fire-pit rule; each city or township does. In Ann Arbor a small recreational fire needs no permit if kept about 3 feet across and 25 feet from structures; larger fires require a bonfire permit.
Ann Arbor Fire Department guidance treats a recreational fire (roughly 3 feet in diameter or a 3-by-3-foot pile) as permit-free, but it must be kept a safe distance (about 25 feet) from buildings and combustibles and attended with a means to extinguish. A fire larger than 3-by-3 feet is a bonfire and requires a permit; bonfires may not exceed 5-by-5 feet or sit within 50 feet of anything that burns easily. Only clean, dry, seasoned wood may be burned — never leaves, rubbish, or trash. Other Washtenaw townships (Scio, Superior, Northfield) run their own burn-permit systems, so confirm local rules before lighting.
Uncontrolled or prohibited fires can bring nuisance abatement, fire-department extinguishment costs, and municipal civil infraction fines set by the city or township.
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