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

Using a barbecue grill - whether propane, charcoal, or wood - is treated as cooking, not regulated burning, in unincorporated Shasta County. Shasta County AQMD Rule 2:6 (Open Burning: General Provisions, subsection b.8) exempts 'open outdoor fires used only for cooking food for human beings or for recreational purposes per CH&SC 41704,' so a backyard BBQ does not require an air-quality burn permit or a permissive burn day. There is no county ordinance restricting routine residential barbecuing. The local rule most relevant to BBQ propane is the defensible-space code: Shasta County Code Chapter 8.10 (Ordinance SCC 2025-03) requires that utility generators and petroleum-based product storage 'such as, but not limited to: gasoline, diesel, liquid propane, etc.' maintain a firebreak of at least ten feet in all directions. While that provision is aimed at fixed fuel storage like stationary propane tanks rather than a small grill cylinder, it reflects the county's broader expectation that fuel and ignition sources be kept clear of vegetation. Because most of the unincorporated county is high or very high fire hazard severity zone, CAL FIRE/Shasta County Fire retains authority to restrict open flames - including charcoal or wood grilling - during declared high fire danger, red-flag warnings, or burn suspensions. Practical guidance: grill on a non-combustible surface, keep the grill clear of dry grass and overhanging vegetation, never leave it unattended, fully extinguish charcoal, and check fire-danger conditions before grilling with an open flame during fire season.