Salt Lake City, UT Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

Salt Lake City does not have a smoker-specific ordinance, but smokers are regulated under the same International Fire Code provisions as charcoal grills. IFC 308.1.4 — adopted statewide via Utah Code 15A-5 and enforced by the Salt Lake City Fire Department — treats solid-fuel and wood-fired smokers as open-flame cooking devices subject to the 10-foot clearance from combustible construction and the prohibition on combustible balconies for multifamily occupancies. The exception for LP-gas devices with containers under 2½ pounds does not apply to wood or charcoal smokers. Single-family and two-family residents may use smokers in their backyards subject to standard nuisance rules (SLC Code 9.24 series on open burning and Chapter 9.28 on noise). A distinct issue is wintertime air-quality regulation: the Utah Division of Air Quality issues mandatory and voluntary 'no-burn' action days during Wasatch Front inversions, and these orders can restrict use of wood-fired and solid-fuel devices including some smokers. Residents should check the Utah DAQ daily air quality forecast before extended smoking sessions during inversion season (typically December through February). Pellet smokers using forced-air combustion and propane-assisted smokers generally face fewer restrictions than offset stick burners.