CAL FIRE suspends burning permits in Alpine, Amador, West El Dorado, Eastern Sacramento and North-Eastern San Joaquin counties

Away – Following a wet winter and above-average snowpack, rising temperatures and winds are quickly drying out the bountiful annual grass crop. The increased fire danger from the large amount of dead grass and the region’s hotter, drier conditions is prompting CAL FIRE to suspend all residential outdoor grass burning permits in the State Responsibility Areas (SRA) of Alpine, Amador, El Dorado (west of Echo Summit), Sacramento and San Joaquin counties. This suspension will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on June 10, 2024, and prohibits the outdoor burning of yard waste such as branches and leaves in residential areas.

Currently, the suspension of burning permits applies to all districts except the Lake Tahoe Basin SRA.

“Although debris burning is useful to control flammable vegetation, conditions in most parts of the Amador-El Dorado Unit (AEU) have reached a point where debris burning poses an unacceptable risk of wildfire ignition and it is no longer safe for the public to conduct such burns,” said AEU Chief Mike Blankenheim.

Although outdoor burning of yard waste by homeowners is no longer permitted, CAL FIRE is asking residents to take the extra time to ensure they are prepared for wildfires by maintaining a minimum defensible distance of 100 feet around each home and building on their property and being prepared to evacuate in the event of an emergency.

Here are some tips for preparing homes and properties:

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

The agency may issue limited, temporary fire permits when there is good cause for public health and safety. Agricultural activities, land management, fire drills, and other industrial fires may continue if a CAL FIRE official inspects the fire scene and issues a special permit.

The suspension of residential yard waste fire permits does not apply to campfires at organized campgrounds or on private property. Campfires may be allowed if they are maintained in a manner that prevents their spread into the wild. To obtain a campfire permit, visit https://www.readyforwildfire.org/permits/campfire-permit/.

For more information on creating defensible spaces and preparing for wildfires, as well as tips on wildfire prevention, visit https://readyforwildfire.org/.