Santa Barbara, CA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Two layers of rules govern outdoor burning in the City of Santa Barbara. First, the City Fire Code (Municipal Code Chapter 8.04, Ordinance No. 5920) amends Fire Code Section 307.1.2 to prohibit 'open burning that is offensive or objectionable because of smoke emissions or when atmospheric or local circumstances make such fires hazardous.' Within the City's High Fire Hazard Area, Section 4909.9 further bars all outdoor fires unless a permit is issued by the fire code official, and prohibits them when high winds are blowing, when no adult age 17 or over is present to tend the fire, or when the fire code official declares a Red Flag Warning. Second, the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) regulates air quality for the entire county, including the city: burning residential or household waste outdoors is not allowed anywhere in the APCD's jurisdiction, and burning of any kind in an open fire is generally prohibited except for limited agricultural and permitted vegetation burning under strict conditions. When a Red Flag Warning is declared, the City Fire Department reports that any burn permits are cancelled and all burning is banned. Residents should treat outdoor waste burning as prohibited and rely on green-waste collection instead.