This is illegal in the city of Wilmington. Bigstock photo
Q. Is it legal to use one of the commercially available fire pits for warmth on a deck in the city limits of Wilmington?
A. Open fires are prohibited in the city, no matter the location of the fire.
“It is against the city ordinance,” said Wilmington Fire Department Battalion Chief Sammy Flowers. “There is no open burning allowed within the city of Wilmington except for cooking.”
Flowers said if someone calls in to complain about a neighbor’s fire pit – even if it’s out in the open in a backyard – firefighters will go out and have the person extinguish it. The homeowner or tenant could also be cited.
RELATED LINKS:
What kind of resources are available to the victims of house fires?
Why aren’t fireworks laws enforced in New Hanover County?
Are there public showers at Carolina Beach’s Freeman Park? Can we dig a fire pit?
Date posted: February 16, 2015
User-contributed question by:
H Parham
How does the city define “Open Burning” one could argue that a fire in a steel fire pit (which often times come with a steel mesh covering) would not be considered “open burning”…
Although since the law exempts cooking… I might just recommend having a few hot dogs and marshmallows on hand in case somebody complains!