Backyard smokers are allowed at homes in unincorporated Solano County with no special county ordinance. As open-flame cooking devices under the adopted California Fire Code, charcoal and wood smokers cannot be used on combustible multi-family balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction (one- and two-family homes are exempt), and fire-safe placement matters in wildfire-prone areas.
Like barbecues, backyard smokers in unincorporated Solano County are not the subject of a unique county ordinance; they are treated as open-flame cooking devices under the adopted 2025 California Fire Code. Under CFC Section 308.1.4, charcoal burners and other open-flame cooking devices (which includes charcoal and wood-fired smokers) shall not be operated on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction, with exceptions for one- and two-family dwellings and for buildings/balconies/decks protected by automatic sprinklers. A pellet or wood smoker produces both heat and embers, so safe placement on a noncombustible surface, away from the house, fences, and dry vegetation, is important - particularly in the Fire Hazard Severity Zones of the western county where CAL FIRE LNU and local fire districts may issue burn bans or red-flag restrictions. Smoke from a smoker should not create a public nuisance for neighbors; persistent, dense smoke could draw a nuisance complaint, though ordinary cooking smoke is generally exempt from air-district open-burning rules (the air districts regulate burning of vegetation and waste, not cooking). Propane-fired smokers follow the same balcony/setback rules as propane grills and the cylinder-storage rules of California Fire Code Chapter 61.
Using a charcoal or wood smoker on a combustible multi-family balcony or within 10 feet of combustible construction violates the adopted California Fire Code (Section 308) and may be cited by the fire code official. Allowing embers to ignite vegetation or a structure can lead to liability for fire-suppression and response costs under California Health & Safety Code 13009. Excessive smoke affecting neighbors could prompt a nuisance complaint.
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