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

The City of Santa Ana is located in northern Orange County within the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), which issues mandatory no-burn alerts during periods when fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels are forecast to exceed federal health standards. SCAQMD Rule 445 prohibits all wood-burning in residential and commercial fireplaces, wood stoves, fire pits, chimineas, and similar solid-fuel-burning devices on declared no-burn days. These alerts are most frequent during the fall and winter months, typically from November through February, when temperature inversions trap particulate pollution near ground level across the South Coast Air Basin.

As the county seat of Orange County and one of the densest cities in California with approximately 310,000 residents packed into 27 square miles, Santa Ana is subject to year-round prohibitions on open burning. Burning of trash, yard waste, leaves, construction debris, and any other materials outdoors is prohibited at all times under both SCAQMD regulations and the California Fire Code as adopted by the Santa Ana Fire Department. The Santa Ana Fire Department enforces open burning prohibitions and may issue citations for any unauthorized outdoor burning within city limits. Santa Ana's dense urban fabric — characterized by closely spaced residential structures and multi-family housing — makes open burning particularly hazardous due to the risk of rapid fire spread.

Residents may use gas or propane fireplaces and fire pits at any time, as these devices produce negligible particulate emissions and are exempt from SCAQMD no-burn day orders. Wood-burning devices that are EPA Phase II certified are also exempt when they serve as the sole source of heat in the home. Low-income households meeting SCAQMD financial hardship criteria may apply for an exemption from no-burn day restrictions.

To check whether today is a no-burn day, residents can visit AQMD.gov, call 1-800-CUT-SMOG (1-800-288-7664), or sign up for free Air Alert email and text notifications on the SCAQMD website. The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) also posts fire weather advisories that may impose additional restrictions during Santa Ana wind events and Red Flag Warning conditions.