Outdoor burning rules in San Rafael, 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 in San Rafael is regulated by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the fire department; residential yard-waste burning is generally prohibited and barred on Spare the Air days. Defensible-space clearance applies in the city's hillside fire zones.
Open burning in San Rafael answers to two authorities: the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which governs what may burn and when, and the fire department, which governs safety. For residents the message is restrictive — burning yard waste is generally prohibited, and on Spare the Air days burning is barred entirely. Green waste goes in the collection cart, not a burn pile. The city's hillside fire zones add a separate obligation: defensible-space clearance around structures, enforced because those neighborhoods carry real wildfire exposure. When in doubt about any outdoor fire, check with the fire department before striking a match.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how San Rafael's outdoor burning rules stack up against other locations.
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