Pima County, AZ Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit needed
- None for cooking fires
- Governing section
- County Code § 17.14.080(C)(1)(a)
- Enforced by
- Pima County DEQ control officer
- Area covered
- Unincorporated Pima County only
Summary
Outdoor grills, smokers and cooking fires in unincorporated Pima County skip the county's open burning permit. County Code § 17.14.080(C)(1)(a) exempts fires used only for cooking food.
C. Open Outdoor Fires Exempt From a Permit. The following fires do not require an open burning permit from the control officer or a delegated authority: 1. Fires used only for: a. Cooking of food, b. Providing warmth for human beings, c. Recreational purposes, d. Branding of animals, e. Orchard heaters for the purpose of frost protection in farming or nursery operations, and f. The proper disposal of flags under 4 U.S.C. 1, § 8.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-64: Contains Supplement, with local legislation through Ordinance 2026-9, passed 7-28-2026, current through 7-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
Pima County Department of Environmental Quality regulates open outdoor fires countywide and requires a permit for most burning. Section 17.14.080(C)(1) exempts fires used only for cooking of food from that permit, so charcoal grills, wood smokers and open-flame cookers don't need PDEQ sign-off in the unincorporated area. The exemption is limited to cooking use: burning trash, construction debris or yard waste alongside the smoker isn't covered and can trigger the residential open burning permit requirement under subsection D. No smoker-specific setback is set in this chapter.
Violations & Fines
Using the cooking exemption to also burn household waste or debris turns the fire into unlawful open burning under § 17.14.080(B), enforceable under Title 17's violations chapter at § 17.28.080.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to use an outdoor smoker in unincorporated Pima County?
Can I burn yard debris in the same fire used for cooking?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pima County
Compare Pima County to another location·View the Arizona outdoor cooking overview
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