Agricultural Burning

BURN SEASON IS OPEN

CAL FIRE Press Release, January 5, 2021

Due to COVID-19 restrictions and protocols, we are highly encouraging those that have held burn permits within the last 2 years to renew this season online.

Burn Day Hotline 1-800-834-2876
Línea telefónica directa para información de la quema permitida 

Para las regulaciones en general de la quema agrícola en forma apropiada, oprima aquí.

Notice: The open burning of vegetative waste from the growing of cannabis is prohibited in San Luis Obispo County. The following cannabis waste provisions are currently in effect: 

All residential open burning of cannabis waste and open burning of waste from commercially grown cannabis is prohibited. 

• A separate permit is required for each non-contiguous or non-adjacent property. 
• Agricultural burning is allowed year round in San Luis Obispo County by PERMIT. During the fire season, approximately May 1 through the declared end of fire season, CAL FIRE Permits are required. Please contact APCD's Compliance staff for details. 
• Agricultural burning is defined as open outdoor fires used in agricultural operations in the growing of crops or raising of fowl or animals, used in vegetation, forest or range management, the improvement of land for wildlife and game habitat, or agricultural disease or pest prevention. Income is derived solely or partially from agricultural practices on property where the burn is located; a Farmers' Market Certificate will also be sufficient proof of agricultural income. 

Agricultural Burning Permit Applications (Not available at CAL FIRE facilities)

There are three ways to currently obtain an agricultural burn permit during Burn Season:

1)  Online Permit Application Renewal 

• Only for individuals who held an agricultural burn permit within the past two burn seasons; your previous burn permit number or Assessor's Parcel Number (APN) will be required to complete this process. 
• Go to e-pay to renew your agricultural burn permit and process credit card payment. Process fees apply to credit card transactions. 
• This site will serve as your "Application" as we have your information from previous burn seasons, no need to complete another Application.
• After payment of the fee, please allow a minimum of five (5) business days for the APCD to issue your Burn Permit and send it to you via email or U.S. Mail if an email address is not provided or is illegible. 

2)  Agricultural Burn Application Form (AG)

   a) Pick up burn permit application form from one of locations listed in document here.

• Complete all sections and sign the Application for Agricultural Burning.
• Enclose a $50.00 check.
• Mail or hand deliver the form and permit fee to:

             San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District
             3433 Roberto Court
             San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

    b) Downloadable application from APCD's website (AG)

• Complete all sections of the application, print and sign the application.
• Enclose a $50.00 check.
• Mail or hand deliver the application and permit fee to:

             San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District
             3433 Roberto Court
             San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

• After receiving a valid application and check, the APCD will then issue a Burn Permit.

3)  In-person Submittal of Application (Please note, due to COVID precautions our office is closed to walk-in customers, you would need to leave your permit application outside and call staff when you arrive at 805-781-5912). 

• Submit a completed application form to APCD office during regular business hours (Monday - Friday, 8 am - 12 noon & 1 - 5 pm).
• Provide payment of check, cash or credit card (process fees apply to credit card transactions).
• Burn permit is issued upon transaction completion.

For additional APCD information, please contact the Air District's Compliance Division at (805) 781-5912.

The District Rule Requirements

• All applicable APCD Rules and Regulations must be adhered to. Contact the APCD at 805-781-5912 if you need assistance or have any questions regarding APCD standards. 
• Burning may only be conducted on a BURN DAY at the indicated burn site. Burning on a NO-BURN DAY is by special permit only. 
• Burn day forecasting for all burning is a two-zone system that allows the inland and coastal areas to have separate and more accurate forecasts. View the Burn Zone Map here. (Note that the Coastal and Inland zones are divided by the Coastal Mountain Range.)
• AGRICULTURAL BURNING is limited to burning as defined in APCD Rule 105. Only that material grown on land in agricultural use or being cleared for agricultural use may be burned. 
• All agricultural waste shall be burned in place or stacked loosely, dried and be free of dirt and surface moisture. Drying times, after cutting or uprooting are: 6 weeks for trees and large branches, 3 weeks for prunings and small branches, 10 days for wastes from field crops.
• Up to 100 tons of piled material, or up to 10 acres of standing vegetation, can be burned using the Agricultural Burn Permit.
• Burn must be attended until fire is extinguished AND you must be capable of extinguishing the fire with appropriate equipment (California Fire Code 307.5). 
• No fire shall be started before the announcement of a burn day, or before sunrise. Also no fire shall be started or added to after two hours before sunset. 
• No fire shall be started if the wind direction is toward a populated area that is within 2-1/2 miles of the burn site. 
• Only clean burning materials or devices may be used to ignite fires. 
• A range improvement or an over 3000' MSL forest management permittee may, upon request seven days in advance, receive a daily 72-hour advisory forecast and a 48-hour advance notice of permission to burn or not burn. Call the APCD to arrange forecasts. 
• Permission to burn may be revoked or suspended for fire prevention reasons during adverse weather conditions, or for violation of any terms, conditions or applicable rules and regulations. 
• Penalties will be imposed for obtaining an agricultural permit under false premises such as disposal of vegetation prior to development. 

To view the APCD Rule 502, Agricultural and Prescribed Burning, CLICK HERE.

For more information on Burning click here.

Where can I get a burn permit application?

For questions, please contact the APCD Compliance staff at 805.781.5912.