El Paso, TX Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)

150 governs fires and grills in city parks. Subsection A prohibits lighting, building, or maintaining any fire in a park except in a device the city has provided or designated for that purpose, which rules out ad hoc open fires or fire pits brought from home. Subsection B carves out a specific allowance for portable barbecue grills: they must be of metal construction, may be brought into parks for use in designated picnic areas, and must be attended at all times by someone at least eighteen years old, an unattended grill, even briefly, is a violation.

Placement is restricted too: grills cannot be set on pathways, sport courts, parking lots, or similar surfaces where they would impede the area's intended use, and every grill must maintain a minimum twelve-inch clearance from the ground or whatever surface it sits on, which prevents scorching turf or pavement and keeps a safety gap under the firebox. Subsection C closes the loop on cleanup, requiring that charcoal be fully extinguished and physically removed from the park by the user rather than left to smolder or dumped in a trash can. 24, so this section's twelve-inch clearance and attendance rules apply specifically to grills used on city park property, not private residential balconies.