Are you ready to add a backyard fire pit to your home or cabin in Wisconsin? Do you have questions or concerns about fire safety? About fire pit laws and regulations? Fox River Fire Rings is here to help answer your questions with this quick breakdown of fire safety laws and how they may or may not apply to recreational fires. If you find yourself asking — what do I need to know about fire safety laws in Wisconsin — we have the answers at Fox River Fire Rings.

Fire Pit Safety Laws and Regulations in Wisconsin 

Are you a Cheesehead? Do you plan to install a backyard fire pit in your yard this spring? You may want to get ahead of the game and gain a better understanding of the state fire safety laws and regulations. This will help keep you and your family safe and help you avoid any unnecessary fines. To help you determine what you can burn, the DNR has established the Can I Burn? Tool and has created a Wisconsin State Map to highlight where you need burn permits.

Recreational Fire Laws and Regulations

Campfires, bonfires, ceremonial fires, and cooking fires are considered recreational fires according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and do not require a burn permit or additional regulation — unless weather and burn restrictions prevent a safe fire. The DNR also permits recreational fires on frozen lakes and waterways in the winter months as long as the fire doesn’t violate local regulations. The DNR recommends portable fire pits for easy clean-up and to prevent littering. 

When you decide to build a backyard fire pit, it is important to know and understand local fire ordinances.The regulations on recreational fires and portable fire pits will vary based on city ordinances in your location — but most will follow a similar outline as the DePere, WI fire regulations and ordinances. Check with your local city or county government for local fire ordinances.

1. Recreational fires are allowed at all times except when hazardous weather conditions prevent it. 
2. Recreational fires must be a minimum of 15 feet away from any buildings or structures.
3. Recreational fires should not have a diameter that is larger than 2 feet and should not rise more than 2 feet above the fire pit.
4. Recreational fires are not allowed when wind and weather conditions could cause embers or sparks to be carried toward another building or structure or when the weather would cause the smoke to irritate neighbors.
5. Recreational fires are not permitted to burn garbage, recyclables, trash, rubber, plastic, leather, petroleum-based products, or any combustible liquids.
6. Fire extinguishers and tools used to extinguish fires must be immediately available by recreational fires.
7. There must be one person aged 18 or older in attendance by the fire at all times until it is put out.
8. Renters must have written permission from the landlord to have a recreational fire on the property.
9. The city is not liable for any damage that may be caused by a recreational fire. 
10. The individual responsible for the fire will pay for any and all costs incurred by the fire department if they have to respond to a recreational fire.
11. Fines may be issued to individuals who do not comply with local fire ordinances and regulations.

READ MORE: What Are the Design Options for Custom Fire Rings?

What do you need to know about fire safety laws in Wisconsin? We hope that this quick breakdown has provided the answers that you need and will provide the information that you need to have a safe and enjoyable recreational fire. Contact Fox River Fire Rings today for more information on our custom backyard fire pits in Wisconsin!