Outdoor burning rules in Santa Cruz County, CA — also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance — set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Open burning is not allowed in the Local Responsibility Area of Santa Cruz County without approval from the local fire chief. The county's residential burn season runs December 1 through April 30 (or May 1), and even then requires a Monterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD) smoke management permit and compliance with daily burn-day status.
Santa Cruz County Code § 7.92.307 (amendment to California Fire Code § 307) provides that open burning is not permitted within the Local Responsibility Area of Santa Cruz County without approval from the local fire chief having jurisdiction over the property. The county-published 'Guidelines for Pile Burning' state that the open burn season runs December 1st through April 30th (residential burning ends May 1st), and that physical CAL FIRE permits are not issued in Santa Cruz County for residential burning—adherence to the published Guidelines is the equivalent of holding a burn permit. A Monterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD) smoke management permit is required for every residential backyard burn, and residents must phone the MBARD burn-day hotline (800-225-2876) to confirm the day is a permissive burn day before lighting. Burning on Red Flag days, on windy days, or on days with low relative humidity is prohibited. Larger piles than 4'x4'x4' or burns outside the season require a CAL FIRE General Burning Permit (LE-5). State law (Public Resources Code § 4423) and CFC § 307 also apply.
Burning without fire-chief approval or outside permissive conditions is a misdemeanor under California Public Resources Code § 4421 and Health and Safety Code § 41700. The party responsible for an unlawful burn that escapes is also liable for suppression cost recovery under Health and Safety Code § 13009. MBARD can impose separate air-quality penalties for burning on a no-burn day.
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