Fillmore Burn Bans Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Fillmore is located in the Santa Clara River Valley in Ventura County and falls under the air quality jurisdiction of the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD). The VCAPCD — not the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which governs Los Angeles County — issues seasonal No-Burn advisories and mandatory curtailment orders for the entire Ventura County region. On days when the VCAPCD forecasts that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) will reach unhealthy levels, residents are prohibited from operating wood-burning fireplaces, traditional wood stoves, fire rings, and other solid-fuel-burning devices. Fillmore's valley geography, hemmed in by the Topatopa Mountains to the north and the South Mountain ridge to the south, traps inversions that make No-Burn days particularly common in the cooler months.

EPA-certified pellet stoves that meet district emission requirements and natural gas or propane fireplaces are exempt from the mandatory curtailment because they produce significantly lower particulate emissions. Residents who depend on a wood-burning appliance as their sole source of heat may qualify for a hardship exemption by contacting VCAPCD directly at (805) 645-1400. The district posts No-Burn day advisories on its website at vcapcd.org and distributes alerts through its Spare the Air notification system and local media outlets.

Open burning of yard waste, agricultural debris, and other materials within Fillmore city limits is prohibited without specific authorization from VCAPCD. Historically, Fillmore's citrus groves and agricultural operations used orchard heaters and open-field burns for frost protection and crop residue disposal, but VCAPCD regulations have largely ended those practices within the city boundary. The Ventura County Fire Department may impose additional outdoor fire restrictions during Red Flag warnings, which prohibit all outdoor burning — including recreational campfires and fire pits — regardless of VCAPCD burn-day status.

Fillmore residents should dispose of green waste through the city's curbside green waste collection program or by hauling material to the Toland Road Landfill. Composting and chipping are encouraged as alternatives to burning. Agricultural operators outside city limits who require burn permits must apply directly through VCAPCD and the Ventura County Fire Department.