Ogden, UT Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

Ogden City Code section 11-6-3 lets the fire marshal declare one of three fire restriction levels, yellow, orange or red, for designated hazardous areas: mountainous, brush or dry-grass areas including the Ogden and Weber River Parkway corridors, Fort Buenaventura, areas within 200 feet of waterways, trails, canyons or ravines, the wildland-urban interface east of Harrison Boulevard, and any area the marshal closes to create a readily identifiable boundary. Under a yellow, 'elevated conditions' declaration, aerial fireworks and any ignition source in an unlandscaped, unattended or unequipped-for-extinguishment area are banned, but small open-flame fire pits kept at least 25 feet from structures, gas, pellet, solid-fuel and charcoal-burning outdoor appliances, and ground-level fireworks and sparklers remain legal in landscaped, attended, extinguisher-equipped areas.

Under an orange, 'critical conditions' declaration, the rules tighten specifically for smokers and grills: open flames including wood-burning fire pits and outdoor fireplaces and all fireworks are banned outright, and only gas fire pits and grills with flame-control features, charcoal grills with lids burning commercial charcoal, and smokers with lids and no ember exhaust powered by gas, electricity or commercial pellets remain permitted, again only in landscaped, continuously attended, extinguisher-equipped locations. Under a red, 'severe conditions' declaration, every ignition source is banned with no exceptions.

The fire marshal must issue a written notice with a map of the affected area, file it with the city recorder for public notice and with the city council and business license coordinator, and licensed fireworks vendors must post the notice where fireworks are sold. Violating a restriction notice is a class B misdemeanor under title 1, chapter 4, article A.