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

No specific, more-restrictive Calaveras County ordinance banning backyard barbecuing was found. Under the Calaveras County APCD Open Burning Regulations, 'Recreational Activities' means open outdoor fires used for recreational purposes such as cooking food for human consumption (Rule 300.O), and Rule 308.2.F allows such fires when limited to charcoal, untreated wood, or cooking fuels - so a propane or charcoal BBQ used for cooking is recreational cooking, not the disposal burning of yard debris that the APCD and CAL FIRE tightly regulate. That said, because most of the unincorporated county is in the State Responsibility Area with High/Very High fire hazard, grilling should be done carefully: keep the grill clear of dry vegetation, structures, and overhangs; never leave a lit grill unattended; and keep water or an extinguisher nearby. During red-flag warnings or active fire restrictions, the prudent course is to use the grill on a non-combustible surface well away from wildland fuels. The propane bottles or tanks that fuel gas grills are LP-gas containers under NFPA 58: store and transport cylinders upright, keep them away from ignition sources, do not store combustible materials within 10 feet of larger containers, and follow the separation distances in NFPA 58 Table 6.4.1.1 for permanently installed tanks. Always check current CAL FIRE and air-district restrictions before cooking with an open flame in dry conditions.