Side by side
| Rule | Oklahoma City | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Permit for a backyard fire pit | None (IFC 105.6.32 as amended) | None; patio fire pits, chimeneas, campfires and cooking fires listed as allowed |
| Distance from structures | 15 ft for approved containers; 25 ft for open fires up to 3 ft wide and 2 ft high; 150 ft for other open burning | No pit specific figure published; the city's yard debris rule uses 15 ft from structures and trees |
| Fuel | Recreational fires and cookout fires; brush piles are open burning | Clean wood, paper, charcoal or clean petroleum (326 IAC 4-1-3); no leaves, grass, stumps, trash or lumber |
| Weather limits | County burn bans, up to 14 days, renewable | No fires in high wind, inversions or on Air Quality Action Days; obey burn bans |
| Unusual rule | Open burning 1,000 ft from oil and gas wells; sky lanterns prohibited | Fire must not be lit more than 2 hours before the activity; 500 ft from fuel storage or pipelines |
| Propane | No LP gas permit for containers of 80 gal water capacity or less at a 1 or 2 family home | Clean petroleum fuel allowed under the state rule |
| Fines | Set by city code; ask the Fire Marshal | Up to $2,500 (Chapter 511) |
Sources: Oklahoma City 2018 IFC local amendments resolution, adopted February 27, 2024; Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Burn Ban FAQ; Oklahoma Forestry Services burn ban map; Edmond Life and Leisure, County burn ban extended to Nov. 4; indy.gov, Open Burning; IDEM, exempt burning activities and required conditions. All checked October 25, 2026.
Oklahoma City: no permit, two distances
Oklahoma City adopted local amendments to the 2018 International Fire Code by resolution on February 27, 2024. Section 105.6.32 says no open burning permit is needed for recreational fires, or for small fires in barbecue pits, exterior fireplaces or cookout devices. That covers a steel fire pit, a chiminea and a smoker in a back yard.
Distance is set in amended Section 307.4. The baseline for open burning is 150 feet from structures, with two exceptions that apply at home. A fire in an approved container must be at least 15 feet from a structure. An open fire with a total fuel area no larger than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet high must be at least 25 feet away. A manufactured pit such as an Ohio Flame Liberty or a Breeo X Series is the container route, and the 10 foot difference is often what makes a pit fit on a city lot.
Two local rules stand out. The amendments keep open burning at least 1,000 feet from oil and gas wells, and Oklahoma City has wells inside city limits; if you live near one, ask the Fire Marshal how that distance applies to a recreational fire. And sky lanterns are prohibited. For propane, Section 105.6.27 skips the LP gas permit for individual containers of 80 gallons water capacity or less serving a one or two family home, so a propane table with a 20 pound tank in the base, such as the Real Flame Neven, needs none.
County burn bans override all of this. Oklahoma county commissioners set them by resolution, Oklahoma Forestry Services posts them, and under the state agriculture department's FAQ a ban runs no more than 14 days unless rescinded and can be renewed. During one past Oklahoma County ban, Edmond told residents that fire pits, campfires and outdoor fireplaces were not allowed, while cooking on approved appliances such as grills could continue.
Indianapolis: allowed fires, state conditions
The city's open burning page lists what residents may burn: cooking fires, campfires, patio fire pits, chimeneas and personal comfort fires. It also lists what is illegal anywhere in the city, including leaves, grass, stumps, trash and waste lumber, with fines up to $2,500.
The conditions come from Indiana's 326 IAC 4-1-3(c)(1), which IDEM summarizes. Fuel is limited to clean wood, paper, charcoal or clean petroleum products. The fire must be attended, with equipment to put it out, and extinguished afterward. It may not be lit more than two hours before the activity it serves. No recreational fires in high winds, during temperature inversions or on Air Quality Action Days, and none within 500 feet of fuel storage or pipelines. You must also obey any burn ban in force.
Indianapolis publishes no patio pit setback. Its rule for burning your own twigs and limbs requires a noncombustible container with openings no larger than a quarter inch, burning only between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., at least 15 feet from structures and trees, attended. Those are disposal rules, but 15 feet is a sensible minimum for a recreational pit too, unless the maker asks for more.
Worked example: one 50 by 120 foot lot in each city
Picture a 50 foot wide lot with the house set back 30 feet from the rear property line, a wood fence on three sides and a detached shed in one back corner.
- Oklahoma City, steel pit: a manufactured pit counts as an approved container, so it needs 15 feet from the house and from the shed. In a 30 foot deep back yard, the pit can sit near the middle, 15 feet off the house wall, if the shed is at least 15 feet away. A wood fence is a combustible but not a structure in the usual sense; keep the pit well off it anyway. An open stone ring with a fire up to 3 feet across would need 25 feet from the house, which leaves only a 5 foot strip at the back of this yard, too close to the fence to be sensible.
- Indianapolis, steel pit: no published distance, so use 15 feet from the house, the shed and any trees, and check the maker's manual. The bigger planning issue is the calendar: on an Air Quality Action Day or a gusty evening, the pit stays cold.
- Either city, propane table: no LP gas permit in Oklahoma City for a 20 pound tank; clean petroleum fuel is allowed in Indiana. Keep the same distances you would for wood, since an open flame is still an open flame.
Checklist
- Oklahoma City: decide between an approved container (15 feet) and an open fire (25 feet), and check the Forestry Services burn ban map before every fire in a dry spell.
- Oklahoma City: if you live near an oil or gas well, ask the Fire Marshal about the 1,000 foot open burning rule.
- Indianapolis: check the Air Quality Action Day forecast and the wind before lighting.
- Indianapolis: burn only clean, dry firewood; leave leaves, lumber and trash for collection.
- Both: keep a hose or extinguisher at the pit and put the fire fully out before going inside.
Related guides
- Fire pit rules in Albuquerque, Boise, Des Moines, Wichita and Omaha
- Fire pit rules in Columbus, Milwaukee, Louisville and Kansas City
- How far should a fire pit be from the house?
- How long a propane tank lasts in a fire pit
- Wood vs gas vs smokeless fire pits
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for a backyard fire pit in Oklahoma City?
No. Section 105.6.32 of Oklahoma City's 2018 fire code amendments, adopted February 27, 2024, says no open burning permit is required for recreational fires or for small fires in barbecue pits, exterior fireplaces or cookout devices.
How far from the house must a fire pit be in Oklahoma City?
At least 15 feet from a structure for a fire in an approved container, or 25 feet for an open fire no more than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet high, under the city's amended Section 307.4. Larger open burning needs 150 feet.
Are fire pits legal in Indianapolis?
Yes. The city's open burning page lists patio fire pits, chimeneas, campfires, cooking fires and personal comfort fires as allowed. Indiana's 326 IAC 4-1-3 sets the conditions: clean wood, paper, charcoal or clean petroleum fuel, attended, and no fires in high wind, inversions or on Air Quality Action Days.
How far from the house should a fire pit be in Indianapolis?
Neither the city page nor the state rule gives a patio fire pit setback. The city's rule for burning your own twigs and limbs uses 15 feet from structures and trees, so use at least that, or the maker's clearance if it is larger.
Does a propane fire pit need a permit in Oklahoma City?
No LP gas permit is needed for individual containers of 80 gallons water capacity or less serving a one or two family home, under amended Section 105.6.27. A 20 pound cylinder is far below that.
What is the fine for illegal burning in Indianapolis?
The city says violations of its open burning rules can bring fines of up to $2,500. Leaves, grass, stumps, trash and waste lumber are illegal to burn.
Can I have a fire pit during an Oklahoma County burn ban?
Generally no. County bans are set by commissioner resolution for up to 14 days and can be renewed. During one past Oklahoma County ban, Edmond barred fire pits and outdoor fireplaces while allowing approved cooking appliances such as grills. Check the Oklahoma Forestry Services burn ban map.
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