Burn Permits
A burn permit grants the permittee authorization to perform open burning on permissive-burn days. These permits specify the day(s), time, and site at which burning may occur, as well as the type and amount of material to be burned.
Burn permits may be issued for the following types of burning:
- Agricultural burning
- Fire hazard prevention
- Fire-fighting training
- Range improvement
- Forest management
- Wildland vegetation management
How do I apply for a Burn Permit?
Please contact your local fire authority. Although the SDAPCD works in conjunction with local fire agencies to regulate open burning, it cannot issue a burn permit directly.
Eastern Section of the APCD: Permits are required for agricultural burning, prescribed burning, fire hazard reduction burning, training fires, and residential burning.
Western Section of the APCD: Burn permits are not available for residential burning but other burn categories would be permissible.
Salton Sea Air Basin: Residential Burn Permits are not required.
Please use this map to determine which Air Basin and section you are in.
When can I burn with a Burn Permit?
A permissive-burn day is any day on which the District does not prohibit agricultural burning, prescribed burning and other permitted open burning. Please check the SDAPCD burn decision in order to determine if it is a burn day and then contact the fire authority that issued your burn permit to notify them of your burn. Burn decisions depend on your location in the county, so please use this map to determine which Air Basin you are in.
What are the Rules for Burning?
To burn, one must obtain Permits, a smoke management plan (if necessary), and daily authorization from your Fire Agency. Fires must begin no earlier than 8:00 AM in the winter and 7:00 AM in the summer and must be extinguished by sunset. Prescribed burns under certain conditions may continue past sunset with daily consultation and approval by SDAPCD.
For Residential and Agricultural Burns, the material burned must be reasonably free of dirt, soil, and visible moisture and arranged so that it will burn with a minimum amount of smoke. Excess smoke can cause a nuisance per Rule 51 which can lead to enforcement action and/or suspension of permits.
Be sure to read District Rule 101 and the conditions on your burn permit for a full understanding of the requirements.
Do I need a Smoke Management Plan?
From the SDAPCD Burning Control Rule, Rule 101: “Prior to conducting or allowing prescribed burning for any project greater than 10 acres or estimated by the land manager to produce more than one ton of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of 10 microns or less, the land manager shall have a Smoke Management Plan approved in writing by the Air Pollution Control Officer.”
A Smoke Management Plan is a document submitted to the District by local land managers in order to minimize smoke impacts from prescribed burns. If a Smoke Management Plan is required, a standard burn permit must also be obtained.
If you are conducting a prescribed burn that requires a Smoke Management Plan, please fill out and email a Smoke Management Plan Application (Word or PDF ) to apcdwx@sdapcd.org, or fax the application to 858-586-2759. Questions regarding the application can be directed to the SDAPCD Meteorology and Modeling Section at (858) 586-2769.
Learn more about the SDAPCD’s Smoke Management Program.