Cleveland County, NC Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

Section 11-45 folds North Carolina Fire Prevention Code Section 307 into the county's own open-burning rules and sets specific distances for anything from a silvicultural burn to a backyard bonfire. The baseline location rule requires 50 feet of clearance from any structure, but the code carves out two exceptions: a fire burning in an approved container only needs 15 feet of clearance, and a pile no bigger than 3 feet across and 2 feet tall only needs 25 feet. Bonfires get their own rule in § 11-45(6): a bonfire can't be lit within 25 feet of a structure or combustible material unless it's contained in a barbecue pit, which is the exception that lets backyard cookouts happen closer to the house.

Recreational fires get the identical 25-foot rule in § 11-45(7). 6 of the state fire code, and only the landowner can apply. Every open burn, bonfire, or recreational fire has to be constantly attended until it's out, with a portable fire extinguisher or equivalent equipment like a hose, water barrel, or dirt on hand. The county fire marshal, county law enforcement, the solid waste department, and the state forestry service can all issue citations, and the fire marshal can declare an absolute burning ban during dry weather that cancels every open-burn permit already issued.