OUTDOOR LIVING • BISMARCK, ND
Fire Pits and Outdoor Living in Bismarck, ND
Bismarck Landscape builds fire pits, fire pit patios and seating walls for homes in Bismarck, Mandan and Lincoln. We plan every one around the city’s fire code and our frost and clay, so it’s legal to use and built to stand up to freeze and thaw.
The one rule that decides most designs: under Bismarck’s fire code, a wood fire has to be at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible material. On a smaller lot, that can rule out a wood fire. A gas fire pit only needs 5 feet, and you can use it during burn bans.
OUTDOOR LIVING SERVICES
What We Build
OUTDOOR LIVING
Wood-Burning Fire Pits
Built-in block or stone fire pits with a fire brick liner, sized to the city’s 36-inch limit and set where the 25-foot rule allows. Best for bigger back yards and people who want the real crackle and smell.
OUTDOOR LIVING
Gas and Propane Fire Pits
Fire tables and built-in gas fire pits that light with a switch. No smoke, no sparks, no ashes. They fit closer to the house and work on more days of the year in Bismarck, because the city allows gas fire pits during burn restrictions. Natural gas lines are run by a licensed contractor, with permits through the city.
OUTDOOR LIVING
Fire Pit Patios
A fire pit needs a solid, level spot around it for chairs. We build paver patios on a deep, compacted gravel base, the way the concrete paver industry’s guide calls for in cold, wet soils. See paver patios in Bismarck.
OUTDOOR LIVING
Seating Walls and Steps
Low block seating walls give you built-in seats and hold back soil on a sloped yard. For walls that hold back soil, see retaining walls in Bismarck.
CITY FIRE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
Bismarck Fire Pit Rules
Here are the rules from the City of Bismarck burn restrictions page, its fire pit safety page and the city’s adopted fire code.
| Rule | What Bismarck says |
|---|---|
| Wood fire size | Fuel area 3 feet or less across and 2 feet or less high |
| Wood fire distance | At least 25 feet from a structure or combustible material |
| Built-in fire pits | Should not exceed 36 inches across and should be lined with fire brick |
| Propane fire pits and patio heaters | At least 5 feet from the building |
| Portable fireplaces | 15 feet from structures, except at one- and two-family homes |
| Watching the fire | Must be attended at all times until it’s out |
| On hand | A fire extinguisher rated at least 4-A, or other approved equipment |
| Decks and overhangs | No devices on wood decks, in enclosed patios or under overhangs |
| What not to burn | Trash, leaves, construction material or rotten wood |
| Ashes | Put them in a metal container and soak them with water |
The Fire Department can also order a fire put out if its smoke or smell is a problem for others.
Where a Wood Fire Pit Can Go
Measure before you dig. The 25 feet counts from the house, but also from a detached garage, a shed, a deck, a wood fence and anything else that burns. On smaller lots, those zones overlap and can leave little or no room for a wood fire. We sketch the 25-foot circles on your lot before we design anything, so you don’t build a fire pit you can’t legally use.
Burn Bans: Why Gas Wins Here
The city bans wood, charcoal and pellet fires whenever the fire danger index is very high or extreme, and during any red flag warning. Gas grills, gas fire pits, patio heaters and tiki torches can still be used, because, as the city puts it, “these devices do not produce sparks.” Check the North Dakota burn restrictions map before you light a wood fire.
COMPARE THE OPTIONS
Wood vs Gas Fire Pits in Bismarck
| Wood | Gas or propane | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from house | 25 feet from structures and combustibles | 5 feet from the building for propane |
| Burn ban days | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Smoke and sparks | Yes | No |
| Ashes | Soak in a metal can | None |
| Feel | Real wood fire, more heat | Steady flame, lights with a switch |
| Fuel | Firewood you buy locally | Propane tank or natural gas line |
| Installed cost (national) | About $300 to $1,000 | About $300 to $950 propane, $400 to $3,000 natural gas |
Costs are from Lawn Love (December 2025) and are national estimates, not quotes.
BUILT FOR FROST AND CLAY
How We Build a Fire Pit for Frost and Clay
- Check the rules and the lot. We measure the 25-foot zone for wood or the 5-foot zone for propane, and check wind direction toward the house and neighbors.
- Call 811. North Dakota law requires a locate at least 48 hours before digging. Buried gas and electric lines can run through back yards.
- Dig out and build a compacted gravel base. Clay holds water and frost heaves it. The paver industry’s guide, ICPI Tech Spec 2, calls for a thicker base in cold, wet soils, and we build the pit and patio on the same solid base.
- Line the pit with fire brick. The city says fire brick protects the masonry “from cracking and possibly fragmenting.”
- Keep it 36 inches across or less, inside the city’s limit for built-in fire pits.
- Slope the patio away from the house so melt and rain don’t pool at the pit or the foundation.
- For gas, a licensed contractor runs and connects the line. Bismarck Building Inspection handles permits and mechanical contractor licensing at 701-355-1465.
FIREWOOD AND QUARANTINE
Firewood in Bismarck: What to Burn and What Not to Move
- Burn dry, seasoned hardwood. The city says to avoid soft woods like pine and cedar, which pop and throw sparks.
- Don’t move firewood out of Burleigh County. Under the state emerald ash borer quarantine, hardwood firewood of any kind can’t leave the county without a permit, and fines can reach $5,000. Mandan is in Morton County, across the river, so that counts.
- Buy it where you burn it. The Bismarck Landfill stopped giving out and selling firewood in September 2026.
- Ash from your own tree? Read emerald ash borer in Bismarck before you split it.
COST AND PROJECT PLANNING
How Much Does a Fire Pit Cost?
| Project | National estimate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fire pit, average installed | About $830, most $250 to $2,200 | Lawn Love, Dec 27, 2025 |
| Wood-burning fire pit | About $300 to $1,000 | Lawn Love, Dec 27, 2025 |
| Brick paver fire pit | About $300 to $2,200 | Lawn Love, Dec 27, 2025 |
| Natural gas fire pit | About $400 to $3,000 | Lawn Love, Dec 27, 2025 |
| Natural gas line | About $14 to $25 per linear foot | Lawn Love, Dec 27, 2025 |
| Paver patio | About $3,800 average for 280 sq ft | Angi, Aug 3, 2026 |
Sources: Lawn Love’s fire pit cost guide and Angi’s paver patio cost guide. These are market estimates, not quotes. Your price depends on the size, the materials, how far a gas line has to run and how much base work the clay needs. You get a written price after we see the site. For more local prices, see how much landscaping costs in Bismarck.
LOCAL OUTDOOR LIVING
Mandan and Lincoln
We build fire pits and patios in Mandan and Lincoln too. The frost, clay and building approach are the same, but each city sets its own fire rules, so we check them before we design. See our Bismarck service area and landscaping in Mandan.
Questions
Fire Pit FAQ
Common questions about fire pit installation, city rules, fuel types and costs.
Have a question about a fire pit?
Call and tell us about your yard. We can help plan the right location.
How far does a fire pit have to be from my house in Bismarck?
A wood fire has to be at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible material, under the fire code Bismarck adopted. That includes garages, sheds, decks and wood fences. Propane fire pits and patio heaters need at least 5 feet from the building.
How big can a fire pit be in Bismarck?
A recreational wood fire can have a fuel area of 3 feet or less across and 2 feet or less high. The City of Bismarck says built-in fire pits should not exceed 36 inches across and should be lined with fire brick.
Can I use my fire pit during a burn ban in Bismarck?
Not a wood fire pit. Bismarck bans wood, charcoal and pellet fires when the fire danger index is very high or extreme and during red flag warnings. Gas fire pits, gas grills and patio heaters are still allowed because they don’t throw sparks.
Is a gas or wood fire pit better in Bismarck?
It depends on your lot. Wood needs 25 feet from structures and can’t be used during burn bans. Gas or propane fits within 5 feet of the house, makes no smoke or ashes, and can be used on burn ban days. Some smaller lots only have room for gas.
Can I put a fire pit on my deck?
Not a wood or charcoal one. The City of Bismarck says not to place fire devices on wood decks, in enclosed patios or under overhangs, and never on balconies. Build the fire pit on a paver or stone patio instead.
How much does a fire pit cost?
Lawn Love’s national average is about $830 installed, with most fire pits between $250 and $2,200. Natural gas fire pits run about $400 to $3,000, plus about $14 to $25 per foot for the gas line. These are national estimates, not quotes.
Bismarck Landscape
Plan Your Fire Pit
Send us a photo of your back yard, or have us measure it, and we’ll show you where a fire pit can legally go and whether wood or gas fits best. Call Bismarck Landscape.
See our contact options. For the full yard plan, see landscape design in Bismarck.