Upland, CA Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Park fires
- Only in provided fireplaces or approved barbecues
- Approval needed
- City manager or designee permission
- Backyard grills/smokers
- Not addressed; governed by state Fire Code
- Fire code adopted
- 2022 California Fire Code, § 15.15.010
- Governing law
- Upland Municipal Code § 12.36.050
Summary
Upland's municipal code doesn't regulate backyard smokers or grills on private property beyond the state Fire Code adopted by reference, but it does control open flames in public parks: under Section 12.36.050(G), no one may kindle a fire in a city park except in a provided fireplace or in a barbecue the city manager has approved, and even then only with the manager's or a designee's permission.
G. Fires and Fireplaces. No person shall kindle a fire in any park except in fireplaces provided for that purpose or in barbecues approved by the city manager, except by permission of the city manager or designee.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4480959; v4 updated 2025-09-22).
Full Breakdown
050 include a specific fire and barbecue restriction: subsection G bars kindling any fire in a park except in a fireplace installed for that purpose or in a barbecue the city manager has approved, and only with permission from the city manager or a designee. That means a resident can't bring a portable charcoal grill, propane smoker, or open campfire into an Upland park and use it anywhere; only city-provided fireplaces or barbecues the city has specifically signed off on qualify, and even those need case-by-case permission.
070. 030's reserved-use and special-events permit process rather than the general park regulations. 010, not a separate city ordinance, so any placement or clearance requirements for a home smoker come from that state-adopted fire code rather than Title 17 or Title 12.
Violations & Fines
Damaging park property or violating posted park regulations is a misdemeanor under Section 12.36.050(D)(1), punishable in accordance with Section 1.16.010: a fine up to $1,000, imprisonment up to six months, or both. An unauthorized fire or barbecue in a park can also draw an on-the-spot order to extinguish from park staff or the city manager's designee, since only pre-approved fireplaces and barbecues are allowed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring a portable grill to an Upland park?
Does Upland regulate backyard smokers or fire pits on private property?
What happens if I light an unauthorized fire in an Upland park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Upland
California rules heatmap·Compare Upland to another location·View the California outdoor cooking overview
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How other cities in San Bernardino County handle smoker rules.