Clearwater, FL Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Clearwater, FL, 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
- Governing section
- City Code Sec. 17.06(2)(b)
- Permit issuer
- Fire chief or fire marshal
- Fireworks admin fee
- $150.00
- Insurance for fireworks
- $1,000,000 liability minimum
- Beach burn blackout
- Feb. 1 to Aug. 31, Clearwater Beach
Summary
Clearwater requires a fire department permit before anyone starts an open fire on their own or someone else's property. Sec. 17.06 puts the fire chief or fire marshal in charge of approving applications, and unpermitted work is subject to penalty and immediate suspension.
No person shall start or permit an open fire on his or her property, or start an open fire on the property of others, without first obtaining a permit for such activity. ... A permit for fireworks display or a pyrotechnic special effect display, must first be obtained prior to commencing such activity in accordance with the applicable NFPA Standard, except that no permit shall be issued from February 1st through August 31st for any display on the publicly owned beach abutting the Gulf of Mexico from the boundary of Somerset Street to the northern most boundary of Clearwater Beach.
Full Breakdown
Sec. " "Open fire" under subsection (1)(b) means combustion of any matter outside a building, other than fires in a barbecue pit, grill, exterior fireplace or similar cookout device, or firefighter-training fires. Subsection (3) sets the application process: the fire chief or fire marshal issues the permit after reviewing an application form giving the applicant's name and address, the date, time and location of the activity, any contractor involved, and other reasonably required information; fireworks or pyrotechnic display applications must also include a certificate of liability insurance naming the city as additional insured with at least $1,000,000 in individual and aggregate coverage.
00 fireworks display administrative fee. Subsection (2)(a) additionally bars any fireworks display permit on the publicly owned Gulf-front beach between Somerset Street and the north boundary of Clearwater Beach from February 1 through August 31. Subsection (5) gives the city manager, fire chief and fire marshal authority to immediately suspend any unpermitted or violating operation, and makes a violation a civil infraction under Sec. 12; subsection (6) lets officials require paid emergency-personnel monitoring of a permitted fireworks display, billed to the applicant at actual cost.
Violations & Fines
Starting an open fire without a permit, or violating a permit's terms, is a civil infraction under Sec. 1.12 enforceable in county court, and the city manager, fire chief or fire marshal can immediately suspend the fire; anyone commencing fireworks or pyrotechnic work before permit issuance is separately subject to the penalty in Appendix A of the Community Development Code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to burn debris in my yard?
Who issues open fire permits in Clearwater?
Can fireworks displays happen on Clearwater Beach in summer?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clearwater
How Clearwater compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Clearwater to another location·View the Florida fire regulations overview
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Outdoor Burning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Pinellas County handle outdoor burning.