Utah County, UT Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Section
- UCC 6.11.090, Outdoor Fires
- Setback
- 30 ft from combustibles/vegetation
- Exempt without permit
- Permanent/portable barbecue, grill, fireplace
- Fixed units
- Need code-official approval to install
- Spark protection
- Approved spark arrestor on openings
- Penalty
- Class B misdemeanor, $1,000/6 months
Summary
Unincorporated Utah County bans open fires in its Wildland/Urban Interface zone without a written Fire Marshal permit, but Utah County Code § 6.11.090 carves out permanent and portable barbecues, outdoor fireplaces and grills as long as they sit at least 30 feet from combustible material or non-fire-resistive vegetation.
No person shall build, ignite or maintain any outdoor fire of any kind for any purpose in or on any Wildland/Urban Interface area, except by the authority of a written permit from the code official. Exception: Outdoor fires within inhabited premises or designated campsites where such fires are in a permanent barbecue, listed commercially manufactured portable barbeque, outdoor fireplace, incinerator or grill and are a minimum of thirty (30) feet from any combustible material or non-fire-resistive vegetation. No person shall use a permanent barbeque, portable barbeque, outdoor fireplace or grill for the disposal of rubbish, trash or combustible waste material. Incinerators, outdoor fireplaces, permanent barbeques and grills shall not be built, installed or maintained in Wildland/Urban Interface areas without approval of the code official.
Full Breakdown
' That 30-foot setback is measured from the appliance itself to the nearest combustible material or dry vegetation, not from a property line. 070's combustible-storage rules, all enforced by the Fire Marshal's Bureau of Fire Prevention. Because the exception is tied to 'inhabited premises or designated campsites,' a portable grill used elsewhere in the WUI, such as open land away from a home or campsite, still needs the written permit the general rule requires.
Violations & Fines
Placing a barbecue, grill or outdoor fireplace closer than 30 feet to combustible material, or installing a fixed unit without code-official approval, is treated as an unpermitted outdoor fire under UCC § 6.11.090. UCC § 6.06.070 makes a WUI fire-chapter violation a class B misdemeanor, and § 1.04.010 sets the penalty at up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, with continuing violations counted daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to use my backyard grill in the WUI?
Can I install a built-in outdoor fireplace or fixed grill?
Can I burn trash in my barbecue?
What if my grill is farther out on undeveloped WUI land?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Utah County
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