Fire Pit Clearance Checker

Choose gas or wood and describe what is around the fire. For gas, the result is the range of side and overhead clearances printed in manufacturers' installation manuals. For wood, it is the International Fire Code distance. Your local authority has the final word.

Fire feature

The type sets the fuel.

Natural gas or propane.

Gas fuel

None of the manuals we collected changes its clearances by fuel. Propane adds a note about the cylinder.

Burner input (optional)

From the data plate or manual. Some manufacturers set clearances by input. Leave it blank to see every manual we collected.

Nearest structure

What the nearest wall or structure is made of.

Wood siding, wood or composite deck structure, vinyl, fencing.

Overhead cover

A pergola, roof, eave, umbrella, awning or tree canopy.

Most conservative published side clearance

48 in.

This is reference, not a permit. Your local authority having jurisdiction has the final word, and the installation manual for the exact unit you buy sets its own minimums, so confirm both before you build.

Manuals counted: 7 collected entries cover up to 65,000 Btu/h
Sides to combustibles, published range: 24 to 48 in.
Sides, leaving out manuals measured from the burner edge: 36 to 48 in.
Overhead clearance if you add a cover: 72 to 96 in.
Overhead cover not allowed or restricted: Real Flame, Baltic Rectangle and Forest Ridge fire tables (65,000 and 50,000 Btu/h); Real Flame, Geneva 60 in. rectangle fire table (65,000 Btu/h)
HPC Fire Inspired, EI Series fire pit insert (up to 200,000 Btu/h): sides 36 in.; overhead 84 in.; noncombustible wall 12 in.
The Outdoor Plus, Fire bowl, match lit (FB-ML-M) (up to 65,000 Btu/h): sides 36 in.; overhead 96 in.; noncombustible wall 36 in.
The Outdoor Plus, Match-Lit fire pit insert (inserts, no input range stated): sides 48 in.; overhead 96 in.
Prism Hardscapes, Moderno, Tavola, Embarcadero and Piazza fire bowls (65,000 Btu/h, 90,000 for the Tavola 6 and 110): sides 48 in.; overhead 72 in.
Outdoor GreatRoom Company, Fire pit tables (no input range stated): sides 24 in. from the burner edge; overhead 72 in.
Real Flame, Baltic Rectangle and Forest Ridge fire tables (65,000 and 50,000 Btu/h): sides 48 in.; no overhead structure allowed.
Real Flame, Geneva 60 in. rectangle fire table (65,000 Btu/h): sides 48 in.; no overhead structure allowed.

Notes on This Result

A wood or composite deck is a case for the manufacturer's instructions and a licensed installer. HPC Fire Inspired requires its Deck Insulation Kit and pavers for installation on a wood or composite deck.

Calculation Details

Formula

No formula. Wood-burning distances are from the International Fire Code (2024), Section 307. Gas distances are the published minimums from each manufacturer's installation manual, listed below with the range.

Assumptions

Gas distances are the minimums printed in manufacturers' installation manuals. They differ from brand to brand and model to model, so the range shows the spread and lists every manual.
Combustible means anything that can burn: wood siding, a wood or composite deck structure, vinyl, fencing, plants. Distances are measured from the side of the appliance unless a manual says otherwise.
Overhead means anything above the flame: a pergola, eave, roof, umbrella, awning or tree branch.
A gas fire feature is an outdoor appliance. None of the manuals cited allows one inside a fully enclosed space.
These are published minimums. Not every manual states a listing to ANSI Z21.97 / CSA 2.41, so this is not a statement that every product is listed to that standard.
Adoption of fire codes is local. A state or city may adopt the International Fire Code, NFPA 1, an older edition of either, or its own ordinance, and may amend any of them.

Sources

CSA Group store, ANSI Z21.97-2017 (R2022)/CSA 2.41-2017 (R2022), Outdoor decorative gas appliances. Cited to name the listing standard; the clearance test language was not read
Checked 2026-10-07. View at csagroup.org.
NFPA 1, Fire Code, document page. Current edition 2027; edition status only, the text is behind an NFPA login and is not quoted
Checked 2026-10-07. View at nfpa.org.
HPC Fire Inspired (Hearth Products Controls), EI Series Electronic Ignition Fire Pit Insert, Installation & Operation Instructions, 860-EI, 2024, Table 3.1, PDF p. 10 (printed p. 8). A retailer-hosted copy of HPC's own manual, to be replaced with a manufacturer-hosted copy
Checked 2026-10-07. View at grillio.com.
The Outdoor Plus, Fire Bowl Installation Manual, Match Lit (FB-ML-M), PDF dated 2026-06-24, Clearance from Combustibles, PDF p. 5
Checked 2026-10-07. View at theoutdoorplus.com.
The Outdoor Plus, Match-Lit Fire Pit Insert Manual 2024, PDF p. 3
Checked 2026-10-07. View at theoutdoorplus.com.
Prism Hardscapes, Moderno Series Installation Guide (PDF modified Aug 2025), Section 3.1, PDF p. 10: clearance to combustible surface of 4 ft on sides and 6 ft from the top. The Tavola, Embarcadero and Piazza guides carry the same sentence; the Tavola 6 and 110 are rated 90,000 Btu/h (Tavola Series Installation Guide, Section 3.1, PDF p. 12)
Checked 2026-10-07. View at prismhardscapes.com.
Outdoor GreatRoom Company, Frequently Asked Questions (manufacturer website), Q2 to Q4. Measured from the edge of the burner, not the side of the appliance; no input range stated
Checked 2026-10-07. View at outdoorrooms.com.
Real Flame, Baltic Rectangle Fire Table 9750NG manual (2021) and Forest Ridge Fire Table C1600LP manual (2020), Installation Warnings, PDF p. 4: 60 inches from top and 48 inches on all sides; do not place under any overhead structure or vegetation
Checked 2026-10-07. View at cdn.shopify.com.
Real Flame, Geneva 60 in. Rectangle 1581LP manual, PDF p. 4: 48 inches on all sides; do not place under any overhead structure or vegetation
Checked 2026-10-07. View at cdn.shopify.com.
Manufacturer clearance tiers: The Outdoor Plus Fire Bowl Manual FB-ML-M (up to 65,000; 66,000 to 200,000; 201,000 to 400,000 Btu/h) and HPC EI Series (up to 200,000; 201,000 to 400,000). The dossier (research/calc-sources/clearance-checker.md section 4b) reads these as up to 65,000, 65,001 to 200,000 and 200,001 to 400,000 so no input falls between tiers
Checked 2026-10-07.

What the Result Means

For gas, the headline number is the most conservative side clearance among the manuals we collected. The full range and each manual's figures are listed under it. The spread comes from brand, model and burner input, so enter your burner's rating to narrow the list. Once you choose a model, its manual's numbers apply instead of ours.

Check overhead clearance early. A pergola, eave, awning, umbrella or tree branch all count as cover. Some manuals allow a cover at a stated height. Others allow only a noncombustible screen, and Real Flame's manuals forbid any overhead structure. Read the manual for the unit before you plan a covered patio.

For wood, the 2024 International Fire Code, Section 307, sets 25 feet from a structure or combustible material for a recreational fire and 15 feet for a portable outdoor fireplace. The model code makes an exception for portable fireplaces at one- and two-family dwellings, and there the manufacturer's instructions govern. Your state or city may adopt a different edition or set its own distances.

A deck changes the answer. HPC requires its Deck Insulation Kit and pavers for installation on a wood or composite deck, and Firegear lists an 18 in. clearance to a combustible floor. Covered and walled patios change it too, because ventilation rules for gas appliances differ by manufacturer and a cover changes the overhead figure.

Many cities set their own distances, ban wood fires or require permits for gas fire features. Local fire officials also restrict open flames in some seasons and areas, so check for a burn ban before you light a wood fire.

For a deck, a covered or walled patio, or any gas connection, call a licensed installer and your local fire official before you buy.

Your state or city can require more distance than the manual does. Our state code pages cite each rule we have verified and the date we checked it. See Fire Codes by State.

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