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

There is no special countywide backyard-fire ordinance in Sutter County, so two distinct rule sets apply depending on the fire's purpose. A true recreational backyard fire - a small fire used for warmth, cooking, or ambiance - is governed by the California Fire Code, which requires that a recreational fire not be within 25 feet of a structure or combustible material, that it be kept small and attended at all times, and that a means of extinguishment (a hose, bucket of water, or fire extinguisher) be available. Portable outdoor fireplaces and chimineas must be operated at least 15 feet from combustibles, with an exception for use at one- and two-family dwellings. By contrast, burning leaves, branches, or other yard waste in the backyard is 'open burning' regulated by the Feather River AQMD: it is allowed only on declared burn days (typically Monday, Wednesday, Saturday on the valley floor), only with dry vegetative material grown on the property, and never with household garbage, plastics, painted or treated wood, or other prohibited materials. During peak fire season CAL FIRE suspends residential burn permits across the Nevada-Yuba-Placer area (which covers Sutter County), so even allowed disposal burning is paused until conditions improve, generally around November 1. Local fire districts can prohibit any outdoor burning during red-flag or high-danger conditions regardless of the burn-day calendar.