Outdoor burning rules in San Mateo 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 banned in unincorporated San Mateo County under BAAQMD Regulation 5. Wood-burning devices cannot be used on Spare the Air Alert days. The county includes extensive fire hazard severity zones (hills, coastal areas).
San Mateo County's unincorporated areas fall within the BAAQMD jurisdiction. BAAQMD Regulation 5 bans most open burning. BAAQMD Regulation 6, Rule 3 prohibits all wood-burning devices during Spare the Air Alerts. Many unincorporated hillside and canyon areas are in State Responsibility Areas (SRAs) with additional CAL FIRE restrictions. Properties in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZs) may be subject to additional defensible space requirements per CA PRC §4291 (100-foot clearance). New structures in the Bay Area cannot include wood-burning devices.
Illegal burning: $100 to $1,000 city fines. AQMD violations: $100 to $1,000/day. PRC §4423: up to $1,000 + 6 months imprisonment.
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See how San Mateo County's outdoor burning rules stack up against other locations.
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