Santa Rosa, CA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Santa Rosa, 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
- Open burn (trash/debris)
- Prohibited year-round
- Vegetative pile burn
- Permit required; 5+ acre WUI parcels
- Pile size
- ≤ 4 ft; 50 ft from any dwelling
- Clearance
- 10 ft around and above pile
- Burn hours
- 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; out by sundown
- Air quality
- BAAQMD permissive burn day required
- Wildfire-season suspension
- No permits issued after June 1, 2026
Summary
Open burning of trash, debris, garbage, or hazardous waste is unlawful in Santa Rosa. Vegetative debris pile burning is permitted only for WUI parcels of 5+ acres under a Fire Department permit, and pile burn permits are suspended during the declared wildfire season (annually from approximately June 1 to November 1).
The parcel must be 5 acres or more in size or approved by the Fire Department on a case-by-case basis. You may only burn clean vegetation (branches, trunks, stumps) from the property associated with this permit. You may not burn solid waste, recyclable materials, household hazardous waste, or other hazardous waste, garbage, debris, or other wastes. All burning must be maintained in 4-foot maximum piles at least 50 feet away from any dwelling or other combustible material. The area 10 feet around and above the burn piles must be clear of vegetation. A water supply and a long-handled shovel shall be readily available. Burning should occur between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., and fires must be extinguished by sundown — no exceptions.
Full Breakdown
Santa Rosa generally prohibits open burning under its adopted California Fire Code (City Code Ch. ' The only authorized open-burn category is vegetative pile burning under a Fire Department permit, established when City Council adopted the Pile Burning Ordinance on March 16, 2021 as a wildfire-fuel-reduction tool. ' Burns must be ≤ 4-foot piles, located at least 50 feet from any dwelling or other combustible material, with a 10-foot clearance above and around the pile. Permitted material is limited to clean vegetation (branches, trunks, stumps) from the permitted property only: solid waste, hazardous waste, garbage, debris, and other wastes are never burnable.
, and fires must be extinguished by sundown with no exceptions. A water supply and long-handled shovel must be on site. ' The Santa Rosa Fire Department suspends all pile burn permits during declared wildfire season; for 2026, no new permits are being issued after June 1, 2026.
Violations & Fines
Burning prohibited materials, or burning vegetative debris without a permit, violates City Code Chapter 18-44 and is a misdemeanor under § 18-44.110.4: punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment up to six months. The Santa Rosa Fire Department may also recover fire-suppression and emergency-response costs under City Code § 18-44.106.6 (incorporating California Health & Safety Code §§ 13009 and 13009.1), which can run into tens of thousands of dollars when a fire escapes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn yard debris in Santa Rosa?
Can I burn household trash or cardboard?
Why are pile burn permits suspended in summer?
What if my fire escapes?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Rosa
How Santa Rosa compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Rosa to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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Outdoor Burning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sonoma County handle outdoor burning.