Siskiyou County, CA Fire Regulations: Backyard Fires (2026)

There is no general right to burn yard debris in the open in unincorporated Siskiyou County. Backyard (residential) burning requires a valid permit — issued by CAL FIRE (Siskiyou Unit) during fire season and by the Siskiyou County APCD during the non-fire season. Because nearly all of the unincorporated county is a State Responsibility Area, CAL FIRE residential burn permits (free at burnpermit.fire.ca.gov) are the usual requirement for landowners. CAL FIRE routinely suspends residential burn permits during peak fire season and lifts the suspension when conditions ease (in recent years suspensions ran through summer and were lifted around mid-October). When burning is permitted, only dry natural vegetation grown on the property — leaves, pine needles, and tree trimmings — may be burned; household garbage and other prohibited materials are never allowed. Piles must be kept reasonably small with cleared bare-soil clearance maintained around them, and a responsible person and water supply should remain on hand. Burning is restricted to designated burn days and to burn hours of one hour after sunrise until sunset, and is prohibited in windy conditions. Residents must check the daily burn-day status before lighting any fire by calling 530-842-8123 (or 866-652-2876 toll-free within the county).