Perris, CA Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Cooking devices
- Exempt from § 307.6 fire-pit rules
- Includes
- Grills, barbecues, smokers
- Falls under
- General outdoor-fire rule § 305.6
- Vegetation setback
- 30 feet under general outdoor-fire rule
Summary
Grills, barbecues and other portable devices used solely for cooking, including smokers, are exempt from Perris's fire pit and fireplace rules for Group R properties under Fire Code § 307.6.
307.6 Outdoor Fireplaces, Fire Pits, Fire Rings, or similar devices used at Group R Occupancies. Outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, fire rings, or similar exterior devices used at Group R occupancies shall comply with this section.
Exception: Barbeques, grills, and other portable devices intended solely for cooking.
Section 307.6.1 Gas-fueled devices is hereby added as follows:
307.6.1 Gas-fueled devices. Outdoor fireplaces, fire pits and similar devices fueled by natural gas or liquefied-petroleum gas are allowed when approved by the Building Department and the device is designed to only burn a gas flame and not wood or other solid fuel. At R-3 occupancies, combustible construction and vegetation shall not be located within three feet of an atmospheric column that extends vertically from the perimeter of the device. At other R occupancies, the minimum distance shall be ten feet. Where Building Department approved a permanent hood and vent is installed, combustible construction may encroach upon this column between the bottom of the hood and the vent opening. Where chimneys or vents are installed, they shall have a spark arrester as defined in Section 327.1.
Section 307.6.2 Devices using wood or fuels other than natural gas or liquefied-petroleum gas is hereby added as follows:
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13).
Full Breakdown
Perris Municipal Code § 16.08.059 (Fire Code § 307.6) requires outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, fire rings and similar devices at Group R occupancies to meet the city's setback and fuel-type rules, but the section expressly excepts barbeques, grills and other portable devices intended solely for cooking: the category an outdoor smoker falls into. Cooking devices instead fall under the general outdoor-fire rules of Fire Code § 305.6, including the 30-foot vegetation setback for backyard burning.
Violations & Fines
Because cooking devices sit outside § 307.6, a smoker isn't subject to its setback rule, but it must still meet the general outdoor-fire prohibitions and vegetation setback of § 305.6, enforceable as an infraction or misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Perris's fire pit rules apply to my smoker?
What rule does apply to outdoor smokers in Perris?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Perris
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