Abington, PA Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)

Section 65-1 of the Abington Township Code defines BARBEQUE to include propane or natural-gas-fueled grills alongside charcoal, pellet and wood-fueled grills, and that definition brings backyard gas grills inside the same regulatory framework as any other open-flame cooking device rather than the open-burning ban that covers refuse fires. Section 65-3B(4) then sets out the operative exception: a fire may be set for grilling, broiling or barbecuing food without falling under the Township's general open-burning prohibition.

That exception is conditional, not automatic. It holds only unless the fire is noxious, hazardous, or excessive in the immediate surrounding area by reason of smoke or noxious odors, or emits sparks, embers, brands or hot ash that could pose a public safety threat. In judging whether a grill crosses that line, the Abington Township police officer, the Fire Marshal, or another agent authorized by the Board of Commissioners must consider whether the condition creates a nuisance or health risk beyond the property's boundary through smoke or odor, or endangers surrounding areas through fire or explosion risk.

The Code as printed does not carve out separate placement rules for propane grills on balconies or in multifamily buildings; the same nuisance-and-safety test in Section 65-3B(4) governs a propane grill wherever it is used in the Township. Enforcement authority to order a noncompliant grill extinguished or corrected sits with the police and Fire Marshal under Section 65-2.