Hemet, CA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Residential open burning - burning leaves, brush piles, yard trimmings, or trash in the open - is not allowed in Hemet. The City's own weed-abatement guidance states plainly that "open burning is prohibited by the Air Quality Management District and Fire Department," so property owners must haul or mulch cleared vegetation rather than burn it. Hemet lies within the South Coast Air Basin, where South Coast AQMD Rule 444 (Open Burning) governs when, where, and whether any open burning may occur; the rule is designed to minimize emissions and protect public health, and routine residential yard-waste burning is not permitted without authorization. Limited exceptions in AQMD rules exist for certain recreational or ceremonial fires and for cooking/warming fires, which are treated differently from waste burning. The California Fire Code (Chapter 3), adopted by the City, separately allows the fire code official to prohibit open burning whenever atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make fires hazardous (Section 307.1.1), and requires a permit for certain larger or agricultural burns. Any agricultural or prescribed burn would require both AQMD authorization and Fire Department approval. Before lighting any outdoor fire other than a properly sited recreational fire or barbecue, contact the Hemet Fire Department and check South Coast AQMD for burn-day status.