LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — With Cal Fire determining that wildfire risk has been significantly reduced by the recent rains, the Lake County Air Quality Management District said the annual Lake County burn ban for 2022 has been lifted.
The burn ban’s lifting is effective as of 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30.
Burn permits are required for all outdoor burning in the Lake County Air Basin.
Those burn permits can be obtained from Lake County’s fire agencies through an electronic permitting system hosted on the South Lake County Fire Protection District website.
“There is no processing fee, electronic burn permits save gas, and residents can access the permit program anytime,” said Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Division Chief Paul Duncan.
“A paper copy will need to be maintained by anyone conducting burning and presented when asked,” Duncan said of the permits.
A smoke management plan is required for multiday burns, overnight burns, standing vegetation burns, whole tree or vine removal, burns over 20 acres, and any other burn where significant smoke impacts may occur or sensitive receptors may be impacted.
Smoke management plans can be obtained at the Lake County Air Quality Management District office; call 707-263-7000 to make an appointment.
When visiting the Air Quality Management District office to get the plan, bring a map showing the burn location, burn site coordinates (GPS locations), parcel number or address, acres to be burned, and details of vegetation to be burned. A fee is required for all burn permits, payable at the time the permit is issued.
Smoke management plans, agricultural burn permits and residential burn permits are $31, land development/lot clearing burn permits are $95. The fee can be paid with cash or check only (exact change is appreciated).
Only clean dry vegetation that was grown on the property may be burned. Residential burn permits require a one acre or larger lot of record, a burn location that is at least 100 feet from all neighbors, and at least 30 feet from any structure in order to qualify.
Lot clearing/land development burns require special permits available through the local fire protection districts.
Read your burn permit carefully and follow all the conditions. Please be considerate of your neighbors. A permit does not allow you to create health problems for others. You can be liable for health care costs, fines, and other costs resulting from your burning.
Officials urge community members to consider composting or using the vegetative waste pickup provided with your waste collection service as an alternative to burning leaves.
Lake County’s joint fire agencies and Air Quality Management District’s open burning program has incorporated both fire safety and air quality management since 1987. Officials thank community members for their cooperation this burn season.
Annual Lake County burn ban lifted as of Nov. 30; permits required for outdoor burning
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