Chico, CA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Chico, CA, also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance, set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Key Facts
- Scope
- Applies inside and outside buildings
- Automatic exemptions
- Matches, barbecues, code-compliant fireplaces
- Discretionary fires
- Require fire marshal permit
- Wood-stove curtailment
- Nov 1 - Mar 1 bad-air days
Summary
Chico bans igniting any open fire, indoors or outdoors, throughout the city, allowing only a short list of exempt appliances and fire-marshal-permitted uses under Municipal Code Chapter 16R.42.
Notwithstanding any provisions of the CFC to the contrary, no person shall ignite a fire within the City, either within or outside a building, whether by open fire or within a fireplace, incinerator, or other burning device, or in any other manner except as hereinafter authorized by Section 16R.42.070 through and including Section 16R.42.090 of this chapter. (Res. No. 33 88-89 (part), Res. No. 139-07, Ord. No. 2491 12-20-16 §10, Ord. No. 2540 §12, Ord. No. 2577 11-15-22 §12, Ord. No. 2619 1-6-26 §13) 16R.42.070 Prohibition on fires and flames - Fires and flames exempt from prohibitions. The following fires or the following devices and equipment which utilize a fire or flame shall be permitted within the City provided such fires or flames are ignited or maintained or such device and equipment is installed, possessed or used in accordance with any applicable requirements of the CFC:
A. Matches and lighters;
B. Fireplaces, indoor and outdoor, in accordance with
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Supplement contains local legislation current through: Codified Resolution No. 53-26, adopted 7-14-26 and Ordinance No. 2622, adopted 6-2-26).
Full Breakdown
Chico Municipal Code Section 16R.42.060 makes it unlawful to ignite a fire anywhere in the city, inside or outside a building, whether an open fire, fireplace, incinerator, or other burning device, unless the activity falls within the exemptions listed in Sections 16R.42.070 through 16R.42.090. Automatic exemptions cover matches and lighters, code-compliant fireplaces and barbecues, and residential heating furnaces. Beyond those, a fire is legal only with a fire marshal permit issued under California Fire Code Section 105, for uses like agricultural burning, weed abatement, or ceremonial fires. A separate curtailment program (Chapter 8.32) further restricts indoor wood-burning devices on bad-air days between November 1 and March 1.
Violations & Fines
Fire code violations are enforceable as misdemeanors under City Charter Section 1505, punishable by a fine up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment, unless a specific section sets a different penalty; the fire marshal may also deny or revoke burn permits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a backyard bonfire or campfire in Chico?
Are fire pits and outdoor fireplaces allowed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chico
How Chico compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Chico to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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