Burning

Burn Day Hotline 1-800-834-2876

Burning and Health

Burning has been a long-time contributor to air pollution in our area by emitting smoke and ash. Historically, burning throughout the county has resulted in numerous complaints to the District concerning impacts on public health, odors, and visual pollution. Smoke from burning is an uncontrolled source of air pollution that can affect the burner, their families and neighbors and more specifically, smoke and ash generated through the burning of household waste (e.g., garbage and rubbish) may contain many toxic air contaminants, including dioxins. These pollutants often travel long distances and may contaminate air, water, food and soil. Unfortunately, the toxins can remain in the environment for many years.

Children, the elderly and those that already have a respiratory condition are the most susceptible to the health impacts of these air contaminants. Immediate health effects may include burning and itching eyes, shortness of breath, headaches, and asthma attacks. Long term effects may include respiratory disease, lung damage, cancer, and premature death. To protect the public's health, efforts at the state and local level help to reduce the amount of burning and better manage smoke from burning practices.

Burn Day Forecasting

Burn day forecasting for both residential and agricultural burning is a 2-zone system that allows the inland and coastal areas to have separate and more accurate forecasts. To determine which zone you are in, please refer to this map image or Google Map. Please note, the city of Atascadero is located entirely within the inland burn zone. Click here for a detailed image of the burn zones in the Huasna area. The California Air Resources Board, California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (CAL FIRE) and the APCD designate permissive burn days. Call the APCD Burn Line at (800) 834-2876 to find out if the current day is a permissive burn day in your zone.

Backyard Burning

The APCD took steps to phase-out non-agricultural backyard burning of green waste in developed areas of the county. More Description: arrows

Agricultural Burning

Agricultural burning is definted as the use of fire for vegetation management of agricultural fields and orchards. Agricultural Burn Permits are required prior to conducting any burning. There is a one-time permit cost of $50per year, payable in advance to the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District (APCD). Up to 100 tons of piled material, or up to 10 acres of standing vegetation, can be burned using the Agricultural Burn Permit. To obtain a 2-Part Burn Permit Form for Agricultural Burning see this list of the numerous county-wide distribution locations, or download a mail-in only Application to obtain an Agricultural Burn Permit. For details on the restrictions and requirements for Agricultural Burning, click here.

Smoke Management Plans

Prescribed burning is the use of fire for management of wildlands, like rangelands and forests. District Rule 502 and the California Air Resources Board (ARB) Title 17 (Smoke Management Guidelines) for Agricultural and Prescribed Burning give burners directions on how to burn properly. Review the requirements for burning here. Larger burns must use the Smoke Management Plan permit application form only available from the APCD. These larger burns also have permit fees. Fees are based on the amount of acreage burned or stacked/ piled material burned. The fee schedule is as follows:

Fee	Description of Material
$125	For over 10 acres and up to 100 acres of standing vegetation or more than 100 tons and up to 500 tons of stacked or piled material
$185	For over 100 acres and up to 250 acres of standing vegetation or over 500 tons and up to 1,000 tons of stacked or piled material
$250	More than 250 acres of standing vegetation or more than 1,000 tons of stacked or piled material

Developmental Burning

Developmental burning is the burning of vegetation, tree stumps, etc. that are grown on property being developed for commercial or residential uses. Developmental burning is no longer allowed in San Luis Obispo County. If no alternatives to burning are available, limited developmental burning under severe restrictions may be allowed. This will require application to the APCD, payment of a fee based upon the size of the project, APCD approval, and issuance of a permit by the APCD and the local fire department authority.

Burning of Household Waste is Prohibited

The APCD is enforcing the state prohibition on burning household or residential waste and burning in burn barrels throughout the county. Burning of products containing rubber, plastic, tar, creosote or hydrocarbons is never allowed. In 2004, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) enacted a statewide regulation that prohibited burning of household waste, including paper and cardboard, to minimize toxic air contaminants generated during the burning of such material. More Description: arrows

Other Burning

Burn permits are also required for the following:

Public or industrial fire-fighting training.
Prevention of a fire hazard that cannot be abated by any other means.
The disposal of agricultural waste as specified by Rule 502. The agricultural waste must be produced and burned on site.
Levee, ditch and reservoir maintenance, or right-of-way clearing by a public entity or utility.
Developmental burning when there are no technically feasible alternatives.
Prescribed burning.

All burning permits listed above are issued by the Air Pollution Control District. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (CAL FIRE) also requires a permit for all types of burning during the fire hazard season.
If smoke or flying ash produced while burning becomes a nuisance, the burn permit may be revoked.

Quick Links

News Feed