Can I have a wood fire in my backyard fire pit during summer in Phoenix?

Phoenix Fireplace & Chimney · November 3, 2026

What the summer rule says

Maricopa County's Burning Activities page lists the fires that are prohibited from May 1 to September 30 in Area A: fires for warmth, recreational fires, wood-burning chimineas and outdoor pits, and animal branding. It is a separate rule from the No Burn Days that the county declares in the cooler months, and it applies every summer whether or not the air that day looks clean.

The same page states that the minimum fine for an illegal outdoor fire under Rule 314 is $200. That is higher than the first steps of the No Burn Day penalty ladder, which starts with a warning notice, so a summer wood fire in the backyard is not a small risk.

The ban lines up with the hottest stretch of the year. NWS Phoenix data for Sky Harbor shows the average first 100-degree day is May 2 and the last is October 5, with 111 days at or above 100°F in a normal year. Dry brush, palm fronds and wind make a stray ember a real problem in that heat.

What is still allowed between May and September

The rule targets solid fuel. Natural gas and propane fire pits, fire tables and outdoor gas fireplaces are not on the prohibited list, so a gas pit can run on a cooler September evening or a breezy night in late spring.

• Gas fire pits, fire tables and gas outdoor fireplaces.
• Cooking fires used to cook, smoke or flavor food for immediate eating, kept to about 2 square feet unless more is needed, started when cooking starts and put out when the food is done.
• Grills and smokers used for cooking.

Which towns does this cover

Area A is the air-quality planning area drawn around the urban Phoenix metro on the Maricopa County side, which takes in the big cities from Glendale and Peoria to Tempe, Mesa, Chandler and Gilbert. If you live on the far edge of the county, check the county's Area A map for your address. San Tan Valley, most of Apache Junction, Gold Canyon, the city of Maricopa and part of Queen Creek are in Pinal County. Pinal County runs its own air-quality program, so if you live there, check its rules before you assume either way.

Many master-planned communities also have CC&R rules on fire features. Before building or moving a pit, check your HOA's architectural guidelines.

Turning a wood pit into a gas pit

A lot of Valley backyards have a block or stone ring that only gets used three or four winter weekends. Fitting it with a burner pan, a burner and an igniter turns it into a pit you can use on any allowed evening, including the long shoulder season when nights are pleasant but the wood ban is still on.

The big variable is fuel. If a natural gas line has to be run out to the pit, HomeGuide's 2026 guide puts extending a gas line at $350 to $2,000. The City of Phoenix lists gas line repairs, replacement or new installation for exterior gas appliances as permit work, and in unincorporated Maricopa County a new gas line to a fire pit goes through the county's fast-track residential permit. In other cities we check what your city requires. The burner pan, burner and igniter are priced at the site visit, which is free.

If running gas isn't practical, a propane fire pit is the other route. Maricopa County has listed a program offering up to $75 toward the purchase of a propane fire pit; check with the county whether it is still offered.

After September 30

From October 1 a seasoned-wood fire in a backyard pit is legal again in Area A, except on any day the county declares a No Burn Day. Even then, only seasoned wood is allowed, never trash, painted wood or yard waste.