Cupertino, CA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Cupertino, 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.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Cupertino Municipal Code § 6.24.090
- Scope
- Burning solid waste anywhere in the City
- Public right-of-way rule
- Any waste burning on streets, ways, alleys
- Permit available
- None; the ban is absolute
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine and/or 6 months jail
Summary
Cupertino makes it unlawful to burn solid waste anywhere in the city or to burn any waste on a public street, way or alley. Section 6.24.090 sets an outright ban rather than a permit system, so there is no local process to get an outdoor waste-burning permit inside city limits.
It is unlawful for any person to burn, or cause to be burned, any solid waste within the City or to burn, or cause to be burned, any waste upon public streets, ways or alleys.
Full Breakdown
090, Burning Restrictions, is short and absolute: it is unlawful for any person to burn, or cause to be burned, any solid waste within the City, and separately unlawful to burn, or cause to be burned, any waste upon public streets, ways or alleys. 110. Because the prohibition is not qualified by season, permit or fire-danger condition, it applies year-round regardless of weather or drought status, and it covers waste burned on private property as well as waste burned on public rights-of-way. The ban is distinct from state and regional air-district rules on agricultural or recreational burning; it specifically targets waste disposal by fire rather than campfires or other fire uses, and a resident checking this section should not read it as covering every outdoor fire in the city, only the burning of solid waste.
Violations & Fines
Section 6.24.240 makes a violation of the Section 6.24.090 burning ban enforceable through an administrative citation and fine under Chapter 1.10, or through misdemeanor prosecution under Chapter 1.12. Absent a more specific penalty, Section 1.12.010 sets a misdemeanor fine at up to $1,000, imprisonment up to six months, or both, and Section 1.12.020 treats each day a fire or its aftermath continues as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn trash in my backyard in Cupertino?
Is burning waste on a Cupertino street or alley separately illegal?
What is the penalty for illegal burning in Cupertino?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cupertino
How Cupertino compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Cupertino to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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Outdoor Burning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle outdoor burning.