Fire Pit Clearance Calculator
Fire pit clearance rules are scattered across blog posts citing vague "10 to 25 feet" with no specifics. Enter your fire pit diameter to get a required setback distance, then check it against each nearby structure in your yard. Nothing uploaded.
Required Ground Clearance
Nearby Structures
Learn more: fire pit clearance distances
How the calculator sets clearance
The calculator uses tiers by fire pit diameter: 10 feet for pits under 36 inches across, 15 feet for pits from 36 to 60 inches, and 20 feet above that. A roof eave or overhanging branch is checked against a separate fixed 18 feet, whatever the pit size.
Each structure you add passes when its distance is at least the figure for its type. A 36-inch pit needs 15 feet from a wooden fence, for example, so a fence at 14 feet fails and one at 15 feet passes.
The model fire code distance is 25 feet
The tiers above are the calculator's own baselines. The recreational fires section of the fire code, as reproduced on UpCodes, says recreational fires shall not be conducted within 25 feet of a structure or combustible material. It adds that conditions that could cause a fire to spread within 25 feet of a structure must be eliminated before ignition.
That distance is a flat figure and does not change with pit size. A structure that meets the calculator's 10 or 15 feet but sits under 25 feet gets a "CHECK" note in the results. Your local code or a manufacturer's instructions for a portable fireplace may differ, so confirm which rule applies.
FAQ
Does wind change the required clearance?
The calculator does not factor wind into the distance. Wind carries embers further, so in dry or windy conditions allow more room than the minimum, or do not light a fire at all.
Why is overhead clearance a fixed number?
Rising heat and sparks are a different risk from sideways radiant heat, so the calculator uses one fixed overhead figure of 18 feet for branches and eaves instead of the diameter tiers. It is the calculator's own value, not a code citation.
Are these distances legal requirements?
No. The tiers are baseline guidance, and the 25 feet quoted above comes from a model fire code that your area may or may not have adopted. Check your local fire code and your home insurance requirements before you build or light a fire pit.