Thousand Oaks, CA Outdoor Cooking: BBQ & Propane Rules (2026)

Per TOMC Title 8 (which adopts the 2025 California Fire Code) and CFC §308.1.4, open-flame cooking devices — including propane and charcoal grills — may not be operated on combustible balconies, decks, or within 10 feet of combustible construction in multifamily Group R-2 occupancies (apartments, condos). Exceptions: the building is protected throughout by an automatic sprinkler system, the balcony or deck is non-combustible (e.g., concrete), or the occupancy is one- or two-family (single-family or duplex). LPG (propane) cylinders are limited to a single 20-pound water-capacity cylinder in residential use under CFC §6104, and cylinders must not be stored indoors. Most of Thousand Oaks sits inside a Cal Fire State Responsibility Area High or Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zone — during red-flag warnings and Public Safety Power Shutoff events, Ventura County Fire (which provides fire protection by contract) may impose additional restrictions on open flames; charcoal use outdoors is the most common target. Defensible-space rules under Public Resources Code §4291 require 100 feet of clearance around structures in the SRA, which affects safe BBQ siting.