LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Air Quality Management District said the Lake County burn ban for 2020 is still in effect.

Cal Fire has lifted its burn permit suspension, which prevents any burning during peak fire season, however, they have not declared an end to fire season.

This lifting of Cal Fire’s burn permit suspension allows some exemption burns to occur before the end of fire season. The Lake County burn ban is still in effect for general open burning.

The burn ban includes all open waste burning unless an exemption burn permit has been issued.

These exemptions may include burns for agricultural operations, essential control burns for fire safety projects, public safety burns, specific burns in the wildfire recovery areas and others.

To obtain an exemption, first contact the Lake County Air Quality Management District to determine need, then your local fire protection agency so that your burn site can be inspected and evaluated for fire safety.

Only after the fire agency has inspected the burn site and notified the Lake County Air Quality Management District that the proposed burn is fire safe, can you obtain a written exemption permit.

Anyone responsible for open burning during the ban without an exemption permit may be subject to a citation, fines, and the cost of the fire agency response to extinguish the fire. Burn restrictions will remain in effect until Cal Fire declares an end to fire season.

Lake County’s joint Fire and Air Quality Management District’s open burning program has incorporated both fire safety and air quality management since 1987 and officials said it has greatly contributed to the community’s superior fire safety and air quality.