Outdoor burning rules in Monterey 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 outdoor burning of vegetation in unincorporated Monterey County requires a Monterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD) burn permit under Rule 438 and is only allowed on declared permissive burn days. During fire season CAL FIRE also requires a separate burn permit in the State Responsibility Area, and burning is often suspended entirely.
Open outdoor burning in Monterey County falls under MBARD Rule 438 (Open Outdoor Fires) and Title 17 smoke management guidelines, plus CAL FIRE rules in the State Responsibility Area (SRA). Burning is allowed only on a permissive burn day — check status at (800) 225-2876 or the MBARD website before burning. Residential backyard burn season for the Monterey County Regional Fire District runs December 1 through April 30; outside that window CAL FIRE typically suspends residential debris burning for peak wildfire season (around May 1 to the end of fire season). Permitted burn hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with no fuel added after 3:00 p.m. and the fire fully out by 5:00 p.m. Only dry, natural vegetation originating on the property may be burned — burning of garbage, paper, cardboard, lumber, plastic, rubber, tires, painted material, and household trash is prohibited (a year-round trash burning ban applies). A 10-foot diameter clearance down to bare mineral soil must surround each pile, piles are limited to four feet in diameter and four feet in height, material needs at least 10 days of drying, no burning within 72 hours after 0.25 inch or more of rain, no burning on windy days, and a responsible adult must attend the fire until it is fully extinguished. CAL FIRE burn permits are required in Monterey County's SRA when permit season is declared (commonly around May 1).
Burning without a permit, on a no-burn day, of prohibited materials, or outside legal hours violates MBARD Rule 438 and CAL FIRE rules. Escaped fires can result in liability for suppression costs and criminal charges. MBARD and CAL FIRE enforce; report illegal burning to the local fire district.
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