Coeur d'Alene, ID Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

Section 4.25.060 of the Coeur d'Alene Municipal Code is titled Fire And Smoking Restrictions In City Natural Areas, and its operative sentence is short: smoking and all activities capable of generating an open flame are prohibited in all City owned, leased or maintained natural areas. The section names no appliance, so the test is whether an activity is capable of generating an open flame, not what the equipment is called. The code's public property definitions (§ 4.05.030) name natural areas such as the Fernan Lake Natural Area, an approximate 47.20 acre natural open area at 2751 East Potlatch Road, and the Veterans Centennial Natural Area, an approximate 16 acre natural open space at 3013 East Fernan Hill Road.

The neighboring section, § 4.25.050, handles open fires across the rest of the park system. It makes it unlawful to make, use, or have any open fires on any City owned, leased or maintained beach, natural area, park, playground or play field except in designated barbecue areas or as otherwise authorized by permit from the Fire Chief or his or her designee. Section 4.25.060 carries no such exception in its own text.

A cookout on City land runs into other chapter 4.25 rules as well. Glass beverage containers are prohibited on City beaches, natural areas, parks, playgrounds and play fields (§ 4.25.020). Possession of any container of beer, wine or other alcoholic beverage is prohibited on those grounds, though the City can issue permits at Riverstone Park gazebo and amphitheater, Jewett House, City Park, McEuen Park, Coeur D'Alene Rotary Centennial Park and Cherry Hill Park (§ 4.25.030). Fireworks are barred by § 4.25.070, and parks close between 11:00 P.M. and 5:00 A.M. under § 4.25.100. The camping definition in § 4.25.090 lists cooking over an open flame or fire out of doors, with an exception for temporary cooking in a public park or beach during normal hours of operation in conjunction with recreational use.