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

Cooking on a residential barbecue is broadly permitted in unincorporated San Mateo County. The California Fire Code (section 307.6) expressly states that exterior barbecue or fuel-burning devices intended for cooking are not restricted as 'open burning,' so a backyard BBQ does not require a burn permit. Likewise, the BAAQMD wood-burning ban (Regulation 6, Rule 3) targets wood-burning devices and fire pits, not cooking on a grill, and gas/propane appliances are exempt from the Spare the Air wood ban. The main restrictions come from the California Fire Code's open-flame rules for multifamily and combustible settings: California Fire Code section 308 generally prohibits the use or storage of open-flame cooking devices and LP-gas grills (and the storage of LP-gas containers larger than 1 pound) on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction at apartments and condominiums (Group R occupancies), with exceptions for one- and two-family dwellings and where the building is protected by an automatic sprinkler system. Propane cylinders themselves are governed by California Fire Code Chapter 61 / NFPA 58: 20-lb BBQ cylinders should be stored outdoors and kept away from heat and ignition sources. In Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, charcoal and open-flame grilling may be further restricted during red-flag / high fire danger periods at CAL FIRE's direction. Electric and gas grills are the safest options during fire season.