Modoc County, CA Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)

Modoc County has no separate barbecue ordinance; outdoor cooking is governed by the 2022 California Fire Code (CFC), adopted countywide through Modoc County Code Chapter 15.01 (Ordinance No. 221-J, July 2024). The controlling provision is California Fire Code Section 308.1.4, which states that charcoal burners and other open-flame cooking devices shall not be operated on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction. The same section provides that LP-gas (propane) burners with a container water capacity greater than 2.5 pounds shall not be located on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction. There are two key exceptions: one- and two-family dwellings are exempt, and the restriction does not apply where the building, balcony, or deck is protected by an automatic sprinkler system. In plain terms, a single-family homeowner in unincorporated Modoc County can use a charcoal or propane grill on their own deck or patio, but apartment and multi-family residents face the 10-foot clearance rule unless their building is sprinklered or they use a smaller device. Because Modoc is a high fire-risk, high-desert and forested county, grills should always be operated well clear of dry grass, sagebrush, and structures, never left unattended, and shut down during high fire-danger periods or local fire restrictions. CAL FIRE and the Modoc National Forest can impose seasonal restrictions that further limit open-flame devices on public land.