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OVERVIEW

Each morning the District contacts the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to determine if it has been declared a permissive burn day. Using meteorological and air pollutant data collected throughout the Sacramento Valley Air Basin the ARB evaluates ambient air quality and air dispersion factors to forecast open burning conditions and provide agricultural burn acreage allocations. If the air quality will not be greatly affected a permissive burn day may be granted. Other factors used to determine a permissive burn day may include local fire hazards such as drought conditions, existing wildfires, high wind conditions or other local conditions or emergency situations that preclude open burning. The ARB, our local fire agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and California Department of Forestry (CDF), county Office of Emergency Services and Agriculture Departments, and the District's Air Pollution Control Officer, among other federal, state, and local agencies and officials, may deny a permissive burn day due to unfavorable conditions.

Open Burning Rules and Regulations

    Residential Open Burning

    Residential Open Burning in Yuba County CDF and US Forest Service Areas

    Agricultural Burning in Sutter/Yuba County

Burn Information Lines

After 9:00 A.M. each morning burn information may be accessed by calling one of the burn recorders listed below or accessing our Burn Info web page. If you require additional information contact the District at 530-634-7659.

Burn Information Recorders:
Feather River AQMD: 530-741-6299 (Sutter County and all areas of Yuba County except as provided below)
CDF Brownsville Area of Yuba Co.: 530-675-2092  (CDF areas including, Brownsville, Rackerby, Forbestown, Challenge, Strawberry Valley)
CDF Loma Rica Area of Yuba Co.: 530-743-1189   (CDF areas including, Loma Rica, Browns Valley, Dobbins, Oregon House, Smartville, Beale, Camp Far West)
U.S. Forest Service Area of Yuba Co.: 530-274-7928  (Generally East of Bullards Bar Reservoir, including Camptonville)

Open Burn Complaints

It is your responsibility to ensure that your actions do not generate a complaint. If the District responds to a burn complaint the following law, among others, may apply to you:

"...no person shall discharge from any source whatsoever such quantities of air contaminants or other material which cause injury, detriment, nuisance, or annoyance to any considerable number of persons or to the public, or which endanger the comfort, repose, health, or safety of any such persons or the public, or which cause, or have a natural tendency to cause, injury or damage to business or property [California Health and Safety Code, Section 41700, 'Emission Limitations']".

You may receive a Notice of Violation if the Air Pollution Control Officer determines that you have violated H&S 41700. A Notice of Violation may carry a Civil and/or Criminal penalty. Most burn complaints involve odors and excessive smoke. This is typically generated by illegal burn materials or smoldering fires due to wet materials. Only burn legal, dry materials to help prevent odors and excessive smoke. Check the wind direction and situate your burn pile or orchard push-out such that smoke will not enter local residential or business structures or affect nearby workers. Burn piles should be of manageable sizes,  attended at all times, and have nearby water sources and tools to safely manage and control the burn area. Ensure that embers and ashes do not exit your property or cause an uncontrolled burn that can damage your property or the property of others. Some people are very sensitive to smoke and odors due to respiratory health problems such as asthma - Be considerate to your neighbors.

Legal and Illegal Burn Materials

Legal burn materials include accumulations of dry, naturally occurring vegetative wastes generated from your home or business:  tree trimmings and small branches, lawn, garden, and bush trimmings, leaves, brush, pine needles, and paper and cardboard in small quantities. All materials must be dry prior to burning. All materials must be generated from the property or business at which the burning will occur; it is illegal to burn materials generated elsewhere.

Illegal burn materials consist of anything but naturally occurring vegetative wastes from your home or business and include lumber, household garbage, fabrics, shoes, mattresses, furniture, appliances, tires, railroad ties, palettes, camper shells, mobile homes, building demolition debris, scrap materials from salvage operations, asphalt shingles, insulation, tar paper, and metals including cans, drums, containers, and electrical wire, glass, plastic, rubber, and chemicals including paints, solvents, motor oil, and household or industrial cleaners and their containers, to name a few.

You may receive a Notice of Violation if the Air Pollution Control Officer determines that you have burned illegal burn materials.