Burn Bans End In 7 Counties

NAPA VALLEY, CA — Cal Fire will lift burn permit suspensions at 8 a.m. Sunday, allowing residents with valid permits to resume agricultural and residential burning on permissible burn days in seven counties.

The covered sites include Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Lake, Solano, Colusa, and Yolo counties.

Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Chief Matt Ryan announced the change as cooler temperatures, higher humidity, and the chance of winter weather begin to diminish the wildfire threat.

Property owners and residents must follow all guidelines and maintain control of their fires. People who allow fires to escape their control or burn neighboring property may face civil or criminal liability, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire must inspect agricultural burns before burning begins. Other burns may also require inspections; residents should contact their local air district to verify requirements.

Lake County residents must obtain a permit through the Lake County Air Quality Management District website in addition to securing a Cal Fire burn permit online. Marin County residents must obtain a permit through the Marin County Vegetation Management website.

Residents must verify that their local air district has designated a permissible burn day before starting a fire. Burn-day information is available at:

• Bay Area Air District, serving southern Sonoma and Napa counties: 1-877-466-2876.
• Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District: 707-565-2876.
• Lake County Air Quality Management District: 707-263-7000.
• Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District: 530-757-3660.
• Colusa County Air Pollution Control District: 530-458-0581.

Before burning in Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma, or Yolo counties, residents must notify Cal Fire at 707-963-4112 and their local county dispatch center. Marin County residents should contact the Marin County Emergency Command Center at 415-472-0911 before burning.

Cal Fire also outlined these pile-burning requirements:

• Burn only dry, natural vegetation, such as leaves, pine needles, and tree trimmings.
• Do not burn trash, painted wood, or other debris.
• Do not burn on windy days.
• Keep piles no larger than four feet in diameter and four feet high. Residents may add material as the pile burns down.