Salt Lake County, UT Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)
Fire pit rules in Salt Lake County, UT, also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances, cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Key Facts
- Recreational fires
- no permit needed
- Size cap
- fire ring 8 ft diameter max
- Bonfires
- prohibited outright
- Larger fires
- require special permit
Summary
Salt Lake County lets residents build recreational campfires without a permit as long as a responsible person controls the fire, it fits an eight-foot fire ring, and it isn't a bonfire: bigger fires need a special permit.
Campfires and fires used solely for recreational purposes, where such fires are under the control of a responsible person. Anyone planning a fire larger than that defined in subsection 31 of Section 9.72.030 will be required to obtain a special permit. Bonfires, fires built to burn Christmas trees, rally fires and similar fires are prohibited... "Recreation fire" means a campfire that can be safely confined to a fire ring no larger than eight feet in diameter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 49).
Full Breakdown
County Code §9.72.140(C)(2) allows campfires and other recreational fires without a permit if a responsible person keeps control of them and they don't create a public nuisance. The code defines a 'recreation fire' in §9.72.030 as one confined to a fire ring no larger than eight feet in diameter; anyone planning something bigger must get a special permit from the health department first. Bonfires, Christmas-tree burns, rally fires and similar large fires are prohibited outright, regardless of permit, under this same subsection.
Violations & Fines
An uncontrolled, oversized, or nuisance-causing backyard fire, or a bonfire, violates County Code §9.72.140(C)(2) and can draw a health-department order to extinguish it or a citation for illegal open burning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a fire pit in my backyard in Salt Lake County?
How big can a backyard fire be without a permit in Salt Lake County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake County
How Salt Lake County compares: Cities with the Strictest Fire Pit Rules·Compare Salt Lake County to another location·View the Utah fire regulations overview
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