Spokane adopts the International Fire Code under SMC Chapter 17F.080. IFC 308.1.4 prohibits open-flame cooking on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction at apartments and condos. Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency (SRCAA) burn bans address wildfire-season smoke concerns.
Spokane adopts the International Fire Code by reference under SMC Chapter 17F.080 (Fire Code). IFC 308.1.4 prohibits the use of open-flame cooking devices - including propane grills, charcoal grills, and pellet smokers - on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction at apartments, condominiums, townhomes, and other Group R-2 occupancies. Exceptions allow LP-gas containers up to 1 pound, electric grills, and dwelling units protected by automatic fire sprinklers. Single-family R-3 detached homes are exempt from the 10-foot balcony setback. IFC 6109.4 limits residential LP-gas storage to a total of 2 cylinders of approximately 5 gallons (20 lb) each for one- and two-family dwellings; storage in basements, below grade, or on flat rooftops is prohibited (IFC 6109.13). The Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency (SRCAA, www.spokanecleanair.org) administers burn bans during summer wildfire season - while propane grills are typically exempt from burn bans because they produce minimal particulate, Stage 1 and Stage 2 burn bans prohibit all outdoor wood and charcoal fires under WAC 173-433. Mead, Hillyard, and Spokane Valley occasionally see High Particulate days that restrict residential combustion. Cooking fires in approved appliances are usually permitted during burn bans, but free-burning charcoal grills are not.
Violations of the Spokane Fire Code under IFC 109 carry administrative penalties up to $1,000 per day. Operating a propane grill on a multifamily balcony can result in fire-marshal correction notices and immediate equipment removal. Burning during an SRCAA burn ban is a Class 1 civil infraction under RCW 70A.15.3160 with penalties up to $10,000 per day for repeat violators.
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