Laramie reminds residents city fire rules differ from county restrictions

A small fire pit, chiminea or charcoal grill may be allowed inside Laramie city limits even as Albany County keeps stricter restrictions in place, a difference that matters for any backyard cookout or weekend flame on the edge of town.

The City of Laramie posted its reminder May 6, saying the city is operating under its own fire code rules based on the 2024 International Fire Code. Inside city limits, small recreational fires are allowed only if they follow fire department guidelines, and charcoal grills are allowed on improved surfaces such as irrigated lawns, concrete or asphalt if the grill is under 3 feet in diameter and constantly attended. The city also said any open burning or bonfire inside Laramie requires a permit, and those permits are not routinely granted.

That is not the case in the unincorporated county. Albany County’s Emergency Resolution No. 2026-001 took effect March 25 and runs no later than Nov. 1 unless it is lifted or re-imposed sooner. County officials said a “potentially severe to extreme fire situation” existed because of heavy fuel load and dry conditions, and County Fire Warden Chad Dinges recommended the restrictions. In the unincorporated county, all outdoor fires are broadly banned, with limited exceptions for attended campfires in established fire rings or approved residential free-standing fire pits, and charcoal, pellet or propane fires in enclosed grills within a cleared area with fire suppression means present.

The county order also bans common fireworks, display fireworks and incendiary or tracer ammunition in the unincorporated area of Albany County. Violations can bring up to 30 days in jail, a $100 fine and restitution for suppression costs and damages.

The city’s warning carries extra weight because the Laramie Fire Department covers more than just city streets. The department responds to all emergencies within Laramie city limits, responds in Albany County Fire District #1 under an operational agreement, and handles ambulance calls across Albany County, which it describes as roughly 4,200 square miles. That means a careless grill or fire pit inside city limits can still pull on the same emergency system that serves much of the county.

The message is simple: the rules inside Laramie are not automatically the same as the county restrictions around it. With fire bans already in effect across much of Wyoming after a mild winter and record-breaking March temperatures, residents planning a cookout or backyard fire should check whether they are inside city limits before striking a match.