Cal Fire suspends residential burning permits in San Diego County due to hot, dry weather

Severe bush fires (Adobe Stock)

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Citing hot, dry conditions and the amount of dead brush, Cal Fire has announced it will no longer issue permits for residential burning in San Diego County starting in June 2024.

Effective June 1 at 8:00 a.m., the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) is revoking all outdoor fire burning permits in residential areas within the state jurisdiction of San Diego County.

Cal Fire said the suspension was due to the fire danger posed by the large amount of dead grass and increasingly hot, dry conditions in the region.

The suspension means that the burning of branches and leaves as well as other landscape waste outdoors in private homes is not permitted.

According to Cal Fire, firefighters have already responded to more than 950 wildfires across California since the beginning of 2024.

The agency is asking San Diego County residents to reduce the risk of wildfires around their homes by following these tips:

• Remove dead and dying vegetation 30 meters around all buildings
• Landscaping with fire-resistant plants and non-combustible ground covers
• Find alternative ways to dispose of landscape waste, such as chipping it or disposing of it at a biomass or green waste facility.

Campfires on private property and campsites are still permitted, but require a permit.

During certain times of the year and in certain parts of the state, residential burning of dead vegetation, government-sponsored and agricultural burning projects, and large-scale burning fires are permitted unless otherwise specified (such as the current suspension).

Last year, Cal Fire suspended burning permits in June and lifted that suspension in November 2023.