Newark, OH Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

There is no smoker or grill section in the Newark code. The rule a cook has to work from is the open burning ordinance, § 660.08, which covers an outdoor cooking fire as open burning unless the exception applies. Open burning is defined in subsection (a)(1)K as the burning of any materials where the air contaminants resulting from combustion are emitted directly into the ambient air without passing through a stack or chimney.

The exception is in subsection (c)(2)B. It covers bonfires, campfires and outdoor fireplace equipment, whether for cooking food for human consumption, pleasure, religious, ceremonial, warmth, recreational, or similar purposes. Cooking is named in the text, so a backyard cooking fire does not need a separate approval from the Ohio EPA when the conditions are met.

The conditions are specific. Under B.1, the equipment must be fueled with clean seasoned firewood, natural gas or equivalent, or any clean burning fuel with emissions that are equivalent to or lower than those created from the burning of seasoned firewood. The fuel list in the section names clean seasoned firewood and natural gas or equivalent, and the test for any other fuel is the emissions comparison to seasoned firewood. Under B.2, the equipment cannot be used for waste disposal purposes. Under B.3, the total fuel area is three feet or less in diameter and two feet or less in height.

Subsection (c)(2)F adds a general instruction for these fires: they shall not be used for waste disposal purposes and shall be of minimum size sufficient for their intended purpose, and the fuel shall be chosen to minimize the generation and emission of air contaminants.

The rule applies in the restricted area, which is the City plus a one-mile zone beyond its boundary. Subsection (b)(1) bars open burning where an air alert, warning or emergency under OAC Chapter 3745-25 is in effect.