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

Outdoor cooking with a barbecue grill is treated more leniently than open recreational fires in unincorporated Mono County. The Board of Supervisors' urgency open-fire ordinances - such as Ordinance 21-08 (August 17, 2021) - prohibit campfires, bonfires, fire pits, and any open-flame fire on private property and in county campgrounds during extreme fire danger, but the restrictions explicitly 'do not apply to propane or charcoal barbecues used for cooking.' So a propane or charcoal BBQ remains usable on private property even during a county open-fire ban. The picture is different on the surrounding National Forest lands, which make up most of the county. The Inyo National Forest fire order states that 'NO CAMPFIRES, briquette barbeques, or stove fires are allowed outside of designated developed recreation sites' except in posted areas - meaning charcoal briquette barbecues are limited to developed campgrounds during restrictions. However, devices using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel (propane/butane stoves and grills with an on/off valve) may be used by a holder of a valid California Campfire Permit even where wood and briquette fires are banned. Propane tanks supplying grills should be stored per the California Fire Code and kept clear of vegetation. Always confirm current restrictions with the Mono County Sheriff and the relevant National Forest before cooking outdoors.