Recreational Fires
On April 11, 2011, Graham Fire & Rescue updated Resolution #772 to define a Recreational Fire as the following:Recreation Fires: Meaning cooking fires, campfires, and bonfires using charcoal or firewood that occur in designated areas or on private property for cooking, pleasure, or ceremonial purposes. Fires used for debris disposal purposes are not considered recreational fires. Recreational fires may occur in designated areas provided each fire is continuously in compliance with the following terms and conditions:
- Recreational fires may not be closer than 15 feet to any structure including fences, decks, tree stands, outbuildings, standing vegetation (fuel packages) or other combustible material(s) that may promote fire spread.
- Recreational fires must be contained in a gapless ring made of concrete, masonry, rock and mortar, or steel. The burning area within the ring may not be larger than three feet in diameter. The height of the ring may not exceed two feet above ground level.
- Only charcoal products or seasoned firewood may be burned. Burning material may not extend above the top of the ring.
- Recreational fires may neither be ignited nor added to between the hours of 11:00 PM and 8:00 AM daily.
- A competent person capable of extinguishing the fire must attend at all times, and the fire must be extinguished before leaving it.
- Fire extinguishing equipment such as a charged garden hose, 5-gallon container of water, fire extinguisher rated not less than 4-A, and/or hand tools shall be immediately available and in close proximity to the fire.
- Recreational Fires are authorized to be ignited during periods of Stage/Phase I bans. Recreational Fires are not authorized and may not be ignited during periods of Stage/Phase II or greater burn bans.
- Recreational fires shall be immediately discontinued when fire borne emissions are offensive to occupants of surrounding property, or when burning is reasonably interfering with the enjoyment of life and/or property, or if the fire is determined to constitute a hazard to the health, safety, or welfare of other persons or property.
- Recreational fires on private property may only be conducted by the property owner, or by persons who reside on the property and have written authorization from the property owner to ignite a recreational fire.