Key facts
| Place | Permit for a small fire | Setback | When fires stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | None; check burn notice 267-5020 | 25 ft for ground fires; elevated screened portable fireplaces 15 ft (none for single family homes) | Burn notice closed or wind at 10 mph |
| Honolulu, HI | Owner permission, letter 14 days ahead, call 15 minutes before | Set by the fire authority | When the fire authority prohibits open burning |
| Fargo, ND | None | 25 ft, or 15 ft for an approved screened container | Fire danger index high or above, or red flag warning |
| Bismarck, ND | None | 25 ft for recreational fires, 15 ft for portable fireplaces | Fire index very high or extreme, or red flag warning |
| West Virginia (state law) | None for small attended cooking or warming fires | Clear debris 10 ft around | Fire seasons: only 5 p.m. to 7 a.m.; any burning ban |
| Cheyenne, WY | None for contained pits up to 3 ft | 15 ft from structures, decks, fences and property lines | Wind over 10 mph; full burn ban stops wood pits |
Sources: Anchorage laws and guidelines and AO 25-61 FAQ; Alaska Division of Forestry burn specifications; Honolulu Ordinance 25-4 and HFD Fire Communication Center; Hawaii Department of Health; Fargo recreational fires; Bismarck burn restrictions; W. Va. Code 20-3-5; Cheyenne Fire Rescue citizen guide.
Anchorage: the burn day decides
Anchorage's Wildfire Division says every recreational fire must comply with the burn notice recorded at 267-5020 or posted on its burn day website, and there is no burn permit process for backyard fires. A ground fire, which the city says includes barbecue pits, must be contained, under 3 feet across and 2 feet high, inside a 6 foot cleared circle and 25 feet from structures, power poles, vehicles, decks, trees, brush and dry grass. Keep an extinguisher, sand or a charged hose and a shovel at hand, and put the fire out if wind reaches 10 mph. An elevated portable outdoor fireplace with a spark arrestor or screen may be used 15 feet from a structure, and the city sets no separation for single family homes. Under AO 2025-61, in effect since June 6, 2025, anything larger than 3 feet by 2 feet needs an Operational Permit. Outside Anchorage, the Division of Forestry requires burn permits from April 1 to August 31, but a campfire or warming fire not over 3 feet across needs none.
Honolulu: notice before you light
Hawaii's Department of Health rules generally prohibit open burning, with exceptions that include fires for cooking, and backyard burning of household waste and yard trimmings has been banned statewide since January 2012. Honolulu's fire code, Ordinance 25-4, requires written permission from the property owner, a letter to the authority having jurisdiction at least 14 days ahead stating the date, time and location, and notice to the Fire Communication Center at least 15 minutes before a recreational, decorative or ceremonial open fire. Cooking fires outside an appliance, such as an imu, need the same 15 minute call to 808-723-3473. That paperwork is why a propane or natural gas fire table, which is an appliance used to the maker's clearances, is the practical choice on Oahu.
Fargo and Bismarck: two fire index triggers
Fargo needs no permit for a recreational fire up to 3 feet across and 2 feet high, burned with dry firewood, attended, with an extinguisher or hose ready, 25 feet from structures, decks, fences and combustibles, or 15 feet in an approved screened container. Fargo bans all open burning when the fire danger index is high, very high or extreme, or during a red flag warning. Bismarck's ban starts one level later, at very high or extreme, and also applies during red flag warnings; its setbacks are 25 feet for recreational fires and 15 feet for portable fireplaces, and burning trash, leaves or yard clippings is never allowed. The state's ND Response site maps current restrictions and county declarations.
West Virginia: fire season hours
W. Va. Code 20-3-5 makes March 1 to May 31 and October 1 to December 31 forest fire seasons. During a season, burning is allowed only between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. Small attended fires for food preparation, light or warmth need no permit if grass, brush and debris are cleared 10 feet around, unless a burning ban is in effect, and burning is allowed at any time when an inch or more of snow covers the ground. Charleston and Huntington residents should also ask the fire marshal about city clearances before building a permanent pit.
Cheyenne: screens and wind
Cheyenne Fire Rescue's August 2026 guide, based on Policy P-804 and the 2024 International Fire Code, allows a manufactured or masonry fire pit or chiminea up to 3 feet across without a permit; dirt or rock rings are prohibited. It must sit 15 feet from any structure, wooden deck, property line, fence or combustible, carry a spark screen with openings no larger than half an inch, and burn clean dry wood, charcoal or propane with an adult watching and a hose, sand bucket or 4-A extinguisher ready. No outdoor burning is allowed when wind exceeds or is expected to exceed 10 mph. During a full burn ban, wood fire pits stop, but propane and natural gas tables stay allowed with 15 feet of clearance.
Worked example: how much yard a 30 inch ring needs
A 30 inch ring is 2.5 feet across. In Fargo, used as an open ring, it needs 25 feet on every side, so the clear zone is 25 + 2.5 + 25 = 52.5 feet across. In an approved screened container, the same math at 15 feet gives 32.5 feet. Cheyenne's 15 foot rule also gives 32.5 feet, but it counts property lines and fences, so a yard 40 feet wide fits the pit only near the center. In Anchorage, a ground ring needs the 52.5 foot zone, while an elevated screened portable fireplace at a single family home has no separation rule beyond the maker's instructions. Measure before you buy.
Related guides
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- Fire pit rules in Albuquerque, Boise, Des Moines, Wichita and Omaha
- Fire pit rules in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island
- How far should a fire pit be from the house?
- Wood vs gas vs smokeless fire pits
- Utah no-burn days and fire pits
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for a backyard fire pit in Anchorage?
No. Anchorage has no burn permit process for backyard recreational fires, but every fire must follow the burn notice at 267-5020 or the burn day website. A ground fire must stay under 3 feet across and 2 feet high and sit 25 feet from structures, decks, trees and vehicles. Under AO 2025-61, a larger open fire needs an Anchorage Fire Department Operational Permit.
Can I have a wood fire pit in Honolulu?
Honolulu's fire code, adopted in Ordinance 25-4, requires written permission from the property owner, a letter to the fire authority at least 14 days ahead stating the date, time and location, and a call to the Fire Communication Center at least 15 minutes before lighting a recreational open fire. A propane or natural gas fire table is an appliance, which avoids that open fire process, though the maker's clearances still apply.
How far does a fire pit have to be from the house in Fargo?
Fargo requires 25 feet from structures, decks, fences and other combustibles. An approved screened container may sit closer, but still at least 15 feet away. The fire can be no larger than 3 feet across and 2 feet high, and no permit is needed.
When are fire pits banned in Bismarck?
Bismarck bans recreational fires, portable outdoor fireplaces and solid fuel cooking devices when the fire index is very high or extreme and anytime during a red flag warning. Fargo's trigger is stricter: it bans all open burning at a high, very high or extreme fire danger index.
What hours can I burn in West Virginia during fire season?
W. Va. Code 20-3-5 sets fire seasons from March 1 to May 31 and October 1 to December 31, with burning allowed only from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. Small attended fires for cooking, light or warmth, with debris cleared 10 feet around, need no permit unless a burning ban is in effect.
Does Cheyenne allow fire pits when it is windy?
No. Cheyenne Fire Rescue's citizen guide bars all outdoor burning when current or expected wind exceeds 10 mph. Contained fire pits up to 3 feet across need no permit but must sit 15 feet from structures, decks, fences and property lines and have a spark screen with openings no larger than half an inch.
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