Lincoln, CA Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

Unincorporated Placer County has no smoker-specific ordinance, so a wood, pellet, or charcoal smoker used at home is regulated as an open-flame cooking device under the California Fire Code. As with grills, California Fire Code Section 308.1.4 bars charcoal and other open-flame cooking devices on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction at multifamily occupancies, while detached one- and two-family homes are generally exempt. Because smokers run for long periods and generate visible smoke, the Placer County Air Pollution Control District's rule against creating a smoke nuisance is relevant: smoke from any source must not unreasonably affect neighbors, and burning wet material or excessive fuel that produces lingering smoke is discouraged. A backyard smoker burning only clean cooking fuel (seasoned wood, charcoal, or pellets) to cook food is not 'open burning,' but using a smoker or fire device to dispose of waste is prohibited. Commercial or institutional outdoor cooking equipment with the potential to emit pollutants may require an APCD permit, since the district requires permits for operations that can pollute the air. In wildfire-prone areas, keep smokers clear of dry vegetation, attended, and follow any Red Flag or local burn restrictions.