Fire officials suspend residential burn permits in most CA counties. What to know
As hot, dry summer weather settles across California and fire danger rises, Cal Fire has suspended residential burn permits in 42 counties to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires.
The suspensions, which took effect between May and Monday depending on the county, prohibit homeowners from burning landscape debris such as branches and leaves until fire conditions improve, according to the agency.
Fire risk will be assessed area by area but the suspensions are expected to remain in place through the peak of fire season, said Brent Pascua, a Cal Fire battalion chief.
The suspension applies to the following counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Inyo, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus (eastern county), Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo, Yuba.
Burn permits are still required, but residential burning has not been suspended, in the following counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kern, Kings, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus (western county) and Sutter.
Residential burn permits allow homeowners to use small, controlled fires to dispose of landscape debris. During fire season, however, even a controlled burn can quickly escape and become a wildfire.
Although residents cannot burn landscape debris under the suspension, Pascua said they should continue removing dead or dying vegetation. Dry grasses and brush, combined with hot, dry weather, create ideal conditions for wildfires to spread rapidly.
Residents should clear dead or dying vegetation around their homes, landscape with fire-resistant plants and nonflammable ground cover, and find alternative ways to dispose of landscape debris, according to Cal Fire’s Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit.
Even power tools — including lawnmowers — used for yard work can spark fires, Pascua said. He recommended doing vegetation removal during the cooler morning hours and keeping a fire extinguisher and a cellphone nearby in case a fire starts.
Residents also should maintain at least 100 feet of defensible space around their homes by clearing flammable vegetation and using safer landscaping practices, according to Cal Fire. Alternative disposal methods such as chipping or hauling landscape debris to a green waste facility can help reduce fire risk without open burning.
This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 7:48 AM.
