Outdoor burning rules in Tulare, 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.
Tulare Municipal Code Chapter 3.12 (Outdoor Burning) regulates all open burning. Open burning of yard waste, trash and construction debris is prohibited; only contained recreational fires (3-foot fire bowl, clean wood/charcoal) and approved cooking are allowed. The city is also inside the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District where SJVAPCD Rules 4103 (Open Burning) and 4901 (Wood-Burning Devices) layer additional restrictions and require Air District burn permits for any agricultural or hazard-reduction burn.
TMC Ch. 3.12 (§ 3.12.010 Outdoor burning regulations) restricts open burning within city limits. The chapter prohibits burning of debris, trash, garbage, demolition materials and yard waste — only clean dry wood or charcoal in a contained device (≤3 ft diameter, ≤1 ft height for homemade pits) is allowed. Industrial, agricultural and hazard-reduction burns require both a CAL FIRE burn permit and a San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District permit under SJVAPCD Rule 4103. SJVAPCD Rule 4106 governs prescribed/hazard-reduction burning but is generally limited to the State Responsibility Area, which excludes most of the valley floor including the City of Tulare. Burning on No-Burn Days declared by SJVAPCD is prohibited valley-wide. The Tulare Fire Department adopts the 2022 California Fire Code (CFC) via TMC § 3.08.010 with local amendments; CFC Ch. 3 (general precautions against fire) and §307 (open burning) apply concurrently.
Illegal open burning is enforced both by Tulare Fire (TMC Ch. 3.12 — citation, abatement, misdemeanor for repeat) and SJVAPCD (administrative fines starting at $50 for residential first offense; up to $10,000+ per day for commercial/agricultural violations under Cal. Health & Safety Code § 42402). Burning trash/debris is a CFC §307 violation and may also be charged as a nuisance under TMC § 7.28.030.
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