MENDOCINO Co., 4/24/21 — Wildfires have already begun in Mendocino County this year, and as temperatures warm up and vegetation dries out, Cal Fire’s Mendocino Unit will begin requiring permits for residential burns beginning May 1. Permits can be applied online, and burning will only be permitted on permissive burn days as determined by the Mendocino County Air Quality Management District.
Cal Fire warns residents to ensure they are following the recommended precautions for managing a controlled burn. A number of small vegetation fires have already occurred this spring due to burn piles on private property growing out of control, and vegetation is abnormally dry for this time of year due to the below average rainfall this winter.
Here’s the announcement from Cal Fire:
RESIDENTIAL BURN PERMITS REQUIRED MAY 1, 2021
Mendocino County, CA- The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Mendocino Unit will require dooryard/residential burning permits for residential burning within Mendocino County, effective Saturday, May 1st, 2021, at 12:01 a.m.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CAL FIRE Mendocino Unit is asking residents to take advantage of the following online burn permitting processes.
- CAL FIRE https://burnpermit.fire.ca.gov/. Property Owners can access this website to obtain a burn permit, free of charge, by watching a short educational video and submitting an application. Permits must be printed, signed, and on hand while burning. The process provides the necessary information needed to conduct the burn safely, while minimizing the chance for fire escape. Permits are valid for the calendar year in which they are issued and must be reissued annually on or after January 1st of each year.
- Mendocino County Air Management District http://www.co.mendocino.ca.us/aqmd/burning- information.html. Before you burn, always call Mendocino County Air Management District at (707) 463-4391 to confirm that you have all the required burn permits and to ensure it is a permissive burn day. Burning can only be done on permissive burn days and is prohibited on non-burn days.
- Property owners requiring an alternative to the online burn permits can call the CAL FIRE Mendocino Headquarters at (707) 459-7414, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Staff will take the information over the phone and mail the burn permit, as our administrative offices and stations remain closed to the public during the COVID-19 situation.
The drawings below, illustrate minimum fire safe requirements. These minimum requirements apply to all burning.
IMPORTANT: CALFIRE Burn Permits are only for residents who live in the State Response Area (SRA), where CAL FIRE has jurisdictional authority. It is the responsibility of the land owner to call local agencies to determine any additional permits that might be required and if there are any additional burning restrictions for their area.
CAL FIRE Mendocino Unit reminds everyone that it is their individual responsibility to use fire safely and to prevent fires. For more information on debris burning and other fire preparedness tips visit: https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prevent-wildfire/debris-burning/
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