El Dorado County, CA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in El Dorado 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.
Key Facts
- CAL FIRE permit
- Required (burnpermit.fire.ca.gov)
- AQMD burn-day line
- 530-621-5897 / 866-621-5897
- Pile size (state permit)
- Up to 4 ft x 4 ft
- Larger piles
- Require AQMD permit
- Clearance
- 10 ft bare soil around pile
- Burn barrels
- Illegal countywide
- Prohibited materials
- Trash, plastics, treated wood, garbage
Summary
Outdoor burning of vegetative debris in unincorporated El Dorado County requires (1) a free CAL FIRE residential burn permit obtained at burnpermit.fire.ca.gov, (2) verification with the El Dorado County Air Quality Management District (AQMD) that it is a 'permissible burn day' (call 530-621-5897 or 866-621-5897), and (3) compliance with strict pile-size, clearance, and attendance rules. Piles larger than 4 ft x 4 ft require an additional AQMD permit. Burn barrels are illegal countywide.
Burn only dry, natural vegetation, grown on the property in open piles. Burning trash, garbage, plastic, and treated lumber is prohibited per El Dorado County Air Quality Management District rules. Clear all flammable material and vegetation within 10 feet of the outer edge of pile and down to the bare earth. Maximum pile size 4 foot in diameter. Burning can only be done on permissive burn days.
Full Breakdown
Residential burning of dry vegetation grown on the property is allowed only outside of declared fire season and only on AQMD-declared permissible burn days. Burning of household trash, garbage, plastics, treated lumber, painted wood, construction debris, or burn barrels is prohibited countywide. gov. For piles larger than 4 ft x 4 ft, a Burn Permit must be obtained from the El Dorado County Air Quality Management District at 330 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA (530-621-6662). All burning is governed by the El Dorado County AQMD Smoke Management Program adopted under California Health & Safety Code Section 41855 and California Code of Regulations Title 17, Section 80100 et seq.
Operational requirements include: pile no larger than 4 feet in diameter; a 10-foot wide ring of bare mineral soil cleared around every debris pile; water and a shovel kept on site; an adult attendant present until the pile is completely extinguished; and no burning when wind or weather conditions make safe burning impossible. CAL FIRE retains authority to suspend all burning at any time by issuing a fire-season declaration for the Amador-El Dorado Unit. In incorporated Placerville and in the El Dorado County Fire Protection District, additional rules apply during fire season - open campfires for cooking and warming may only be conducted in a fireplace, permanent barbecue, portable barbecue, outdoor fireplace, incinerator, or grill.
Violations & Fines
Burning without a permit, burning on a no-burn day, burning prohibited materials, or use of a burn barrel may be cited by the AQMD or local fire district. Escaped fires expose the responsible party to fire-suppression and investigation cost recovery under California Health & Safety Code Section 13009, civil damages, and potential misdemeanor charges for negligent ignition under California Public Resources Code Sections 4421-4423.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to burn yard debris on my own property?
Can I use a burn barrel?
What can I burn?
When is burn season?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in El Dorado County
How El Dorado County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare El Dorado County to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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