Residential Burn Information FAQ
Do I need a Residential Burn Permit from the Air Pollution control District?
- Burning on a vacant lot, parcel or by a business is not considered residential burning.
- Fire Agency Burn Permits are required for allowable residential burning.
- Air Pollution Burn Permits are not required for allowable residential burning.
What Can I Burn?
- Dry Leaves, Pine Needles and Dry Plants
- Dry Tree Trimmings and Dry Weeds
- Legal residential burning is the disposal of Dry Vegetation by outdoor burning, in a pile, on the property of a one or two family dwelling where the vegetation to be burned was grown.
- Burning of paper and cardboard is prohibited as of January 1, 2004.
What is Illegal to Burn?
- Anything on a "No-Burn" day
- No person shall use open outdoor fires for the purpose of disposal or burning of petroleum wastes, demolition or construction debris, tires, tar, trees, wood waste, processed or treated wood and wood products, or other combustible or flammable solid, semisolid or liquid waste; or for metal salvage or burning of motor vehicle bodies.
- The burning of treated wood under any circumstances.
- Material containing poison oak
- Burning shall not commence when the wind direction would blow smoke toward a Smoke Sensitive Area or populated area which would be adversely affected by the smoke.
- Garbage, Rubbish, Furniture, Paper and Cardboard.
- Imported vegetation, Lumber, Lawn clippings.
- Construction/demolition debris, Metal cans, Plastics and glass.
- These are some of the materials that are illegal to burn.
- If it doesn’t grow on your property, you may not be able to burn it.
How Should I Burn my material?
- All burn materials must be DRY, reasonably free from dirt and burned in an outdoor pile.
MATERIAL SIZE RECOMMENDED DRYING TIMES
- Smaller than 6" in diameter.............…….………...................3- 6 weeks
- Greater than 6" in diameter.................……..………................. 6 weeks
- The use of “burn barrels” is prohibited by State law.
- Only burn materials that can be reasonably burned before the next day.
- Before it rains, prevent your material from getting wet by covering it with a tarp.
- If your pile is wet - let it dry a few days.
- Avoid causing a smoke nuisance to neighbors or businesses.
WHEN CAN I BURN?
Burning can only take place on a permissive burn day. For Burn Day information, please consult your Burn Permit for information.
Are there alternatives to Burning?
For composting call the U.C. Master Composters at the Rotline (530) 889-7399
For recycling buy-back centers call 1-800-RECYCLE
Use or give away as firewood larger branches and wood
Who can I contact for Information on Burning in the North County Fire Protection District and Air Quality?
North County Fire Protection District
11200 Speegle Street
Castroville, CA 95012
(831) 633.2578
Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District
24580 Silver Cloud Ct.
Monterey, CA 93940-6536
(831) 647- 9411
|