San Bernardino County, CA Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

San Bernardino County does not publish a smoker-specific ordinance. A backyard smoker (wood-, pellet-, charcoal-, or propane-fired) functions as a residential cooking appliance and falls under the same County Fire framework as BBQs in the Outdoor Fire Requirements Guide, which requires no permit for residential-style BBQs. Wood-pellet and charcoal smokers produce embers and smoke, so the County's general fire-safety requirements apply: keep the device clear of structures and combustible materials, have a fire extinguisher and water supply available, never leave it unattended, and dispose of ashes and embers only in a covered metal or non-combustible container after cooling with water, never on the ground, on a combustible surface, or in the trash. Spark arrestors are required on outdoor fireplaces and chimneys that vent fire, which can apply to chimney-style or stick-burner smokers. Like BBQs, open-flame and ember-producing cooking devices are prohibited on combustible patios and balconies of multi-family dwellings unless the building is sprinklered, per the adopted California Fire Code. Cooking should stop during Red Flag Warnings, Fire Weather Watches, and when winds exceed 10 mph, mirroring County Fire's rules for other outdoor fires. In Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones and Fire Safety Overlay areas, residents should be especially cautious with ember-producing smokers. Smoke nuisance can also be addressed under air-district rules and general nuisance provisions, but no county smoker ordinance was identified.