LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Although Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit remains in winter preparedness effective in Sonoma, Lake, Napa, Colusa, Yolo and Solano counties, and the requirement on Cal Fire permits needed for residential burning is lifted, lack of significant rain in 2022 has made much of the land ready for wildfire.

Cal Fire encourages and supports safe residential pile burning of forest residue by landowners; it is a crucial tool in reducing fire hazards but must be exercised with caution and preparedness.

State, federal, and local land management and fire agencies will also be utilizing this same window of opportunity to conduct prescribed burns aimed at improving forest health on private and public lands.

Residents wishing to burn must verify it is a permissive burn day prior to burning. Agriculture burns within the State Responsibility Area must be inspected by Cal Fire prior to burning until the end of fire season. Inspections may be required for burns other than agriculture burns. This can be verified by contacting your local air quality management district.

Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit would like to remind the public of the requirements for debris burning in State Responsibility Area.

The following are burning permit requirements, and must be adhered to when the requirement for permits is lifted:

For burning debris in small 4-feet x 4-feet piles:

• Maximum pile size 4 foot in diameter.
• Clear all flammable material and vegetation within 10-feet of the outer edge of pile.
• Keep a water supply close to the burning site.
• An adult should be in attendance with a shovel until the fire is out.
• No burning shall be undertaken unless weather conditions (particularly wind) are such that burning can be considered safe.

No household trash or garbage can be burned outdoors at residences. Dry, natural vegetation, grown on the property can still be burned outdoors in open piles, unless prohibited by local ordinances. Burning can only be done on permissive burn days.

Burn permits are only valid on “Permissive Burn Days” as determined by the State Air Resources Board or the local Air Pollution Control District.

Violations of any burning permit terms are a violation of state law (Public Resources Code 4421, 4422, 4423 And 4425).

To verify it is a permissive burn day prior to burning, contact the Lake County Air Quality Management District at 707-263-7000.

For more on residential burning and ways to burn safely visit https://burnpermit.fire.ca.gov/.