Sierra County, CA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Open burning in unincorporated Sierra County falls under the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District (covering Sierra, Nevada, and Plumas Counties), which administers Regulation III rules together with California Health and Safety Code Section 41800 et seq. and Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations. The District states that dry vegetation is the only material that can legally be burned in Sierra, Nevada, and Plumas Counties; the vegetation must have originated on the property and be sufficiently dry (down and drying for at least three to six weeks). It is illegal — and a misdemeanor — to burn garbage, plastic, plywood, painted or treated wood, Styrofoam, cardboard, or other waste. Burn barrels and burning paper for disposal are prohibited throughout all three counties under California's statewide Airborne Toxic Control Measure. Burning is allowed only on a declared permissive burn day; residents must always check by calling the District's burn-day line at (530) 274-7928 before lighting. The recommended burning window is between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. when smoke disperses best. During fire season a CAL FIRE residential burn permit is required (free at burnpermit.fire.ca.gov), and any burn project larger than one acre also requires an Air Pollution Permit from the District. Even on a legal burn day, a fire that creates a smoke nuisance to neighbors is prohibited.