Flagstaff, AZ Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

Flagstaff's short-term rental licensing chapter carries its own outdoor-combustion rule aimed at the City's elevated wildfire risk. Section 3-12-001-0013(E), Fire Restrictions and Outdoor Combustion Devices, is built around the elevated wildfire risk in the Flagstaff area and documented trends showing visitors may be unfamiliar with or fail to comply with local fire restrictions, so the owner or the owner's designee must take proactive measures to prevent unauthorized open-flame use. During any period when Stage 2 or higher fire restrictions are in effect, the owner or designee must remove, disable, or securely lock any fire pit, open-flame barbecue or grill to render the devices inoperable, and the devices may be restored to use only once fire restrictions are reduced to Stage 1 or Stage 0.

Gas-fueled appliances with a functional on/off switch and a safe shutoff design are carved out of the requirement entirely. The rule sits inside the STR licensing chapter rather than a general citywide outdoor-cooking ordinance, so it binds licensed short-term rental owners specifically; Coconino County and the surrounding National Forest set the actual Stage 0/1/2 restriction levels that trigger the duty. Community Development enforces STR compliance, and repeated violations feed directly into the license itself.