Key facts
| State | Permit | Size limit | Main restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | None within the size limit | 3 ft across, 3 ft high | No campfires under a red flag warning; some towns need seasonal permits |
| New Hampshire | Town forest fire warden, unless snow covers the ground | Laconia Category I: 32 in ring or portable fireplace | Laconia: 25 ft from structures; permittee 18 or older |
| Vermont | Town forest fire warden, except Category 1 fires | Category 1: 36 in or less | Category 1 can be restricted in high fire hazard or an Air Quality Alert |
| Connecticut | Set by each town | Meriden: hand dug pits 3 ft across | Meriden: 20 ft setback, wind under 10 mph, no wooden decks |
| Rhode Island | Local ordinance; none in Bristol | Bristol: 3 ft across, 2 ft high | Bristol: 25 ft setback, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., no fires in drought or Red Flag Warning |
Sources: 12 MRSA 9325 and 9324; Maine Forest Service open burning FAQ; Biddeford fire permits; NH RSA 227-L:17; Laconia fire law brochure; 10 V.S.A. 2645; Vermont DEC backyard burning; Connecticut DEEP; Meriden Fire Marshal policy; Bristol Ordinance 2026-12; U.S. Drought Monitor. Checked October 24, 2026.
Maine: the 3 foot by 3 foot line
Maine's statute exempts residential outdoor grills and fireplaces used for recreation, and campfires on snow covered ground or a frozen body of water, from the burn permit, as long as the fire stays within 3 feet in diameter and 3 feet high. Since October 25, 2023, larger recreational fires need a burn permit, and the Maine Forest Service FAQ says that applies even in a concrete or steel pit. No open burning, recreational campfires included, is allowed in an area under a red flag warning, and the FAQ says smokeless backyard pits are restricted during those warnings too. Some towns add seasonal campfire permits. Biddeford, for example, needs no permit for a backyard campfire unless it is on a beach or in a public park, and sets 15 feet from any structure. The October 20, 2026 Drought Monitor map showed all of Maine in moderate drought or worse and about half in severe drought, so check your town before lighting.
New Hampshire: ask the warden
New Hampshire has the broadest permit rule in this guide. RSA 227-L:17 requires a written permit from the town forest fire warden to kindle any fire outdoors unless the ground is covered with snow, and camp or cooking fires need both landowner and warden permission. The person who starts a fire can be liable for suppression costs. Laconia's 2026 brochure shows how a Category I permit works: a small camp or cooking fire in a ring of fire resistive material or a portable fireplace no greater than 32 inches across, at least 25 feet from structures, with a permittee 18 or older, burning untreated wood, brush or charcoal with no wood thicker than 5 inches. Where a town has opted in, the permit can be requested online at NHFirePermit.com.
Vermont: Category 1 fires skip the permit
Vermont also routes permits through town forest fire wardens, but 10 V.S.A. 2645 exempts sites surrounded by snow and Category 1 fires: fires of 36 inches or less in stone arches, outdoor fireplaces or existing rings on private property, or fires 200 feet or more from forestland. The Commissioner may restrict Category 1 fires during high fire hazard or an Air Quality Alert. Vermont DEC adds that burning trash is never allowed. A 36 inch or smaller steel pit on a patio is the simplest way to stay in Category 1.
Connecticut: town by town
Connecticut DEEP says campfires, bonfires, fire pits and chimineas are not defined in state statute or regulation, so municipalities may require permits. Its one firm rule is fuel: clean, unprocessed wood only, no pallets and no painted or treated wood. Meriden's Fire Marshal policy is a detailed example. Recreational fires are allowed only at one and two family homes, in an approved manufactured appliance (not on a wooden deck) or a hand dug pit 1 foot below grade and no more than 3 feet across with a brick or rock ring. Fires need 20 feet from buildings, fences, trees and combustibles, wind under 10 mph, an attendant 18 or older and suppression equipment, and may burn from 8 a.m. to midnight, never at High, Very High or Extreme fire danger or during a DEEP smog alert. Fuel is clean dry wood no larger than 3 inches, and flames may not exceed 3 feet.
Rhode Island: Bristol's new ordinance
Bristol's Ordinance 2026-12, which follows the Rhode Island Uniform Fire Code and took effect September 16, 2026, needs no permit for recreational or cooking fires but caps them at 3 feet across and 2 feet high, 25 feet from structures or combustibles. Allowed fuels are clean seasoned firewood, commercial logs or gas, the fire must be constantly attended, and burning is limited to 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. No fires are allowed during drought, high wind or a Red Flag Warning, and fines run up to $100 after a cease and desist. The state's separate park rule limits daytime fires on state land from March 15 to May 15.
Choosing a pit that fits
Measure against the strictest number you face. Laconia's 32 inch limit fits a Breeo X24 at 27.5 inches or a 30 inch Ohio Flame ring, but not the 34.5 inch X30. Vermont's 36 inch Category 1 and Maine's 3 foot limit fit the X30 and a 36 inch ring. A 40 inch Arteflame Classic is over every limit in this guide if measured at the rim, so check with your warden or fire marshal first. Where bans are common, a gas pit is allowed in Bristol, and our wood vs gas vs smokeless guide compares the options.
Related guides
- Fire pit rules in Anchorage, Honolulu, Fargo, Bismarck, Charleston WV and Cheyenne
- How far should a fire pit be from the house?
- Fire pit rules in Albuquerque, Boise, Des Moines, Wichita and Omaha
- Wood vs gas vs smokeless fire pits
- Arteflame vs Breeo
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for a backyard fire pit in New Hampshire?
Yes, unless the ground is covered with snow. RSA 227-L:17 requires written permission from the town forest fire warden to kindle any fire outdoors. In towns that opted in, a Category I permit for a small fire in a ring or portable fireplace can be applied for online at NHFirePermit.com.
Do I need a permit for a fire pit in Maine?
Not for a residential outdoor fireplace or campfire kept within 3 feet across and 3 feet high. Larger fires need a burn permit, even in a concrete or steel pit, and no recreational campfire may burn under a red flag warning. Some towns also require seasonal campfire permits.
What is a Category 1 fire in Vermont?
A fire of 36 inches or less in a stone arch, outdoor fireplace or existing ring on private property, or one 200 feet or more from forestland. Category 1 fires do not need a town forest fire warden permit, but the Commissioner may restrict them during high fire hazard or an Air Quality Alert.
Does Connecticut regulate backyard fire pits statewide?
No. Connecticut DEEP says campfires, fire pits and chimineas are not defined in state statute or regulation, so towns set the rules. DEEP still says to burn only clean, unprocessed wood, with no pallets or painted or treated wood.
How far must a fire pit be from the house in Bristol, Rhode Island?
25 feet from structures or combustibles under Bristol's Ordinance 2026-12, effective September 16, 2026. Fires may be up to 3 feet across and 2 feet high, burn from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and are not allowed during drought, high wind or a Red Flag Warning.
Which Breeo size fits a 32 inch limit?
The X24 measures 27.5 inches across and fits Laconia's 32 inch Category I limit. The X30, at 34.5 inches, fits a 36 inch or 3 foot limit but not 32 inches.
Can I put a fire pit on a wooden deck in Meriden, Connecticut?
No. Meriden's policy allows approved manufactured appliances at one and two family homes, but not on wooden decks, and they must be 20 feet from buildings, fences, trees and combustibles.
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