Backyard smokers in Lake Elsinore are allowed as outdoor cooking devices under the California Fire Code adopted in Municipal Code Chapter 15.56, with no separate smoker ordinance. Charcoal, wood, pellet, and propane smokers must be kept clear of structures and dry vegetation. Open-flame smokers are restricted near multifamily balconies.
Lake Elsinore regulates smokers as outdoor cooking appliances under the California Fire Code (2022 edition) adopted in Chapter 15.56. Smokers used solely for cooking are treated as cooking devices, not open burning, so they are exempt from the open-burning prohibition as long as only proper fuel (charcoal, smoking wood, pellets, or LP-gas) is used. Under California Fire Code Section 308, charcoal and open-flame cooking devices generally cannot operate on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction at apartments and condominiums unless fully sprinklered; one- and two-family homes are exempt. Smokers should sit on a noncombustible surface away from fences and vegetation, be supervised, and have coals disposed of only when cold.
Using a charcoal or wood smoker on a combustible multifamily balcony, placing it too close to structures or vegetation, or burning non-cooking materials violates the California Fire Code (LEMC 15.56) and AQMD rules. The Fire Marshal may issue a citation.
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