San Bernardino, CA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in San Bernardino, 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
- Permit issuer
- City Fire Department
- First infraction fine
- Up to $100
- Repeat penalty
- Misdemeanor after 4th offense in a year
- Domestic fire exemption
- Safe domestic fires need no permit
- Governing chapter
- Municipal Code Chapter 8.63
Summary
San Bernardino bans lighting any outdoor fire to clear land or burn brush, slash, timber or grass anywhere in the city without a written permit from the City Fire Department first. Only safe domestic fires and compliant enclosed devices are exempt. The Fire Department issues and enforces every land-clearing and brush-burn permit citywide.
It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation, at any time, to light a fire or fires or use fire for the clearing of land or to burn brush, slash, fallen timber, grass or other inflammable material within the city without first having obtained a written permit from the City Fire Department; that nothing in this section shall prevent the use of proper and lawful fires for safe domestic purposes.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-2: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. MC-1666, passed 8-5-2026).
Full Breakdown
63 governs every open flame set outdoors in San Bernardino. 010 requires a written Fire Department permit before anyone lights a fire, uses fire to clear land, or burns brush, slash, fallen timber or grass anywhere in the city; the only automatic exception covers ordinary domestic fires and small enclosed burners meeting spark-arrester and clearance standards. 020 locks the holder to burning only at the time, place and manner the permit specifies, so burning outside those terms is a separate violation even with a permit in hand.
030 separately makes it unlawful to let any attended fire escape control, regardless of permit status. 070 bans smoking outright in that zone from May 1 through December 31 except at cleared campgrounds or habitations. 080. 120(B).
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 8.63 is an infraction under Section 8.63.140, punished under the citywide default schedule in Section 1.12.010: up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year and $500 for each further offense that year. A fourth infraction within twelve months becomes a misdemeanor, exposing the violator to up to six months in county jail and a $1,000 fine, plus court-ordered reimbursement of the city's investigation and prosecution costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to burn brush in my San Bernardino yard?
What counts as exempt from San Bernardino's burn permit rule?
What happens if I burn without a permit in San Bernardino?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Bernardino
How San Bernardino compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare San Bernardino to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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Outdoor Burning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle outdoor burning.