4104 Portable Fuel-Fired Cooking Appliances — 2025 California Fire Code

Portable fuel-fired cooking appliances shall be permitted to be used in all occupancies in accordance with this section.

Charcoal burners and other open-flame cooking devices shall not be operated on combustible balconies or within 10 feet (3048 mm) of combustible construction.

Exceptions:

1. One- and two-family dwellings.
2. Where buildings, balconies and decks are protected by an automatic sprinkler system.
3. LP-gas cooking devices having LP-gas container with a water capacity not greater than 2 1/2 pounds [nominal 1 pound (0.454 kg) LP-gas capacity].

Portable fuel-fired cooking appliances used indoors shall not be located within 10 feet (3048 mm) of exits or combustible materials.

Cooking that produces sparks or grease-laden vapors shall not be performed within 10 feet (3048 mm) of a tent or membrane structure except where the following conditions are met:

1. Cooking devices shall be isolated from the public.
2. Cooking devices shall be maintained and used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Exception: Designated cooking tents with an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.

Tents with sidewalls or drops where cooking is performed shall be separated from other noncooking tents or membrane structures by not less than 10 feet (3048 mm). Exception: Small tents limited to 100 square feet (9.3 m [2] ) that are accessory to the cooking operations of the cooking tent and are not occupied by the public.

4104.5.1 Groups of cooking tents. Cooking tents shall be permitted to be placed side by side where the following conditions are met:

1. The area of the cooking tents has a maximum area of 700 square feet (65 m [2] ).
2. Each grouping of tents shall have a fire break clearance of at least 12 feet (3658 mm).
3. A fire access aisle separating rows of cooking tents has a minimum width of 16 feet (4877 mm) clear.

Operations such as warming of foods, cooking demonstrations and similar operations that use solid flammables, butane or other similar devices that do not pose an ignition hazard, shall be approved.