Backyard smokers and wood- or pellet-fired cookers are allowed in Macomb County and are not restricted by any county ordinance. Because they are used for food preparation, local rules generally exempt them from open-burning permits. Use them outdoors, away from structures, and follow local nuisance-smoke rules and your municipality's fire
Smokers, pellet grills, and wood-fired cookers count as cooking appliances rather than open burning, so they fall outside most municipal open-burning permit requirements — Macomb Township, for example, requires no permit for enclosed devices or charcoal and gas barbecues used for food preparation, and smokers fit that category. There is no countywide restriction on residential smokers. Practical rules follow from the state-adopted International Fire Code and local nuisance ordinances: use only approved fuels — seasoned cooking wood, charcoal, or pellets, never trash, plastics, or treated lumber; keep the unit clear of structures and combustibles; and never operate it indoors or in an enclosed garage due to carbon-monoxide risk. Persistent heavy smoke drifting onto neighbors can be addressed as a nuisance
Local code enforcement and fire departments handle complaints. A smoker producing a persistent smoke nuisance, or one used on an apartment balcony against the fire code, can draw civil-infraction citations. Burning trash or treated wood can also trigger Michigan EGLE
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