Backyard smokers using wood, pellets, or charcoal are allowed at Prince George's County homes for cooking. They are treated as cooking appliances, not open burning, but the fire code keeps them away from balconies and combustible construction at multi-family buildings.
Charcoal, wood, and pellet smokers used for cooking are permitted at single-family homes and townhouses in Prince George's County. Because they are contained cooking appliances producing food smoke rather than open burning of waste, they are not subject to the open-burning permit rules in Subtitle 11-268 or the June-August burn ban. The same fire-code limits that apply to grills apply here: at apartments and condominiums, operating or storing a solid-fuel or gas smoker on a balcony, deck, or within 10 feet of combustible construction is generally prohibited unless a sprinkler exception applies. Use only clean, dry, untreated cooking wood or approved pellets; never burn trash, treated lumber, or yard waste. Keep the smoker outdoors and attended, clear of the structure.
Nuisance smoke or using a smoker on a restricted balcony violates the adopted fire code and County nuisance rules; enforcement is by the Fire Marshal, with fire-code fines up to $1,000 and/or 6 months in jail.
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