8 rules for unincorporated Plumas County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Backyard fire pits and open burn piles in unincorporated Plumas County require a free CAL FIRE burn permit and are only allowed on permissive burn days set by the Northern Sierra AQMD. CAL FIRE rules require a 10-foot clearance to bare mineral soil, piles under 4 feet, a shovel and water on hand, and supervision. Burning is suspended during high fire danger.
Personal and individual fireworks are illegal throughout Plumas County, including unincorporated areas, Chester, and the Lake Almanor Basin. There is no 'safe and sane' exception in the unincorporated county. Under California's State Fireworks Law (Health & Safety Code 12500 et seq.), 'dangerous' fireworks are banned statewide, and 'safe and sane' fireworks are only legal where a local jurisdiction allows them — which Plumas County does not.
Because most of Plumas County is State Responsibility Area in High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, property owners must maintain 100 feet of defensible space around structures under California Public Resources Code 4291, enforced by CAL FIRE's Lassen-Modoc Unit. The 100 feet is split into Zone 0 (0–5 ft), Zone 1 (5–30 ft), and Zone 2 (30–100 ft), each with specific clearance standards.
Open/outdoor burning in unincorporated Plumas County requires a free CAL FIRE burn permit and is only allowed on permissive burn days set by the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District. Only dry vegetation may be burned — burn barrels, garbage, plastic, treated wood, and paper are illegal. In the Quincy Fire District (American Valley), an additional NSAQMD air permit is required for residential burning.
Most of Plumas County is State Responsibility Area with High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (adopted SRA zones effective April 1, 2024), protected by CAL FIRE's Lassen-Modoc Unit. The county has a catastrophic wildfire history — the 2021 Dixie Fire (963,309 acres, the largest single-source wildfire in California history) destroyed roughly 75% of Greenville. Owners in these zones must meet PRC 4291 defensible space.
Plumas County does not publish a separate countywide smoke-alarm ordinance; smoke and carbon-monoxide alarm requirements come from California state law and the California Residential/Building Codes, enforced locally through the county's Building/Planning Department. State law requires working smoke alarms in all dwelling units and carbon-monoxide alarms in homes with fuel-burning appliances, fireplaces, or attached garages.
Recreational and backyard fires in unincorporated Plumas County are treated as open burning: they need a free CAL FIRE burn permit, a permissive burn day set by the Northern Sierra AQMD, and may burn only dry vegetation. CAL FIRE requires a 10-foot cleared area, a shovel and water, and supervision. Campfires need a California Campfire Permit, and burning can be suspended during high fire danger.
Plumas County does not publish a separate countywide propane-storage ordinance; propane (LP-gas) storage and tank installation are governed by the California Fire Code (which incorporates NFPA 58, the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code) and the California Mechanical/Plumbing Codes, enforced locally by the Plumas County Building Department and CAL FIRE. These set clearances, permit requirements, and installation standards based on tank size.
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