Merced County, CA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Merced 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
- Base rule
- Fire chief permit required for open burning
- Garbage burning
- Banned outright except approved incinerator
- Air district oversight
- San Joaquin Valley Unified APCD
- Agricultural burning
- Separate permit track under Chapter 9.20
- No-burn days
- Ag burning barred on air district no-burn days
- Maximum penalty
- $500 fine and/or 6 months jail
Summary
Burning brush, grass, trash, rubbish, or land-clearing debris outdoors in unincorporated Merced County requires a permit from the county fire chief under Code Section 9.24.130, and burning garbage or other odor-producing refuse is banned outright except in an air-district-approved incinerator under Section 9.08.140. Agricultural field burning runs on its own permit track under Chapter 9.20.
It is unlawful for any person to build, light, maintain, or cause or permit to be built, lighted, or maintained any open or outdoor fire; or to use or cause or permit to be used any fire for clearing land; to burn or cause or permit to be burned any brush, grass, trash, rubbish, stubble, or other flammable or combustible materials; ... unless a permit to do so is first obtained from the county fire chief. ... It is unlawful to burn garbage or refuse containing garbage or to burn any other materials of a type that create an offensive odor at any time, except in an incinerator approved by the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4930839; v8 updated 2026-06-02).
Full Breakdown
130 bans, without a fire-chief permit, any use of fire for clearing land, and any burning of brush, grass, trash, rubbish, stubble, or other flammable or combustible material, alongside open fires and blasting with explosives. That permit requirement covers ordinary yard and land-clearing debris burns throughout the unincorporated county; it is not limited to fire season and applies regardless of distance from wildland. 140 makes it unlawful to burn garbage, or any material that creates an offensive odor, at any time, except in an incinerator approved by the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District, and any other refuse burning still has to comply with state Division of Forestry rules, the local fire district, and the applicable air pollution control district.
130 declaring a nuisance burn independently prohibited. 210 lets the county bill the owner or operator for the extinguishing costs if they fail to act after written notice.
Violations & Fines
Burning without the required fire-chief permit under Section 9.24.130, or burning garbage in violation of Section 9.08.140, is a misdemeanor under Section 9.24.360 or Section 9.08.190 respectively, with fire-chapter violations capped at a $500 fine, six months in county jail, or both, and each day of an unresolved violation after notice counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn yard debris or land-clearing brush outdoors in unincorporated Merced County?
Can I burn garbage in a barrel at home?
How is agricultural burning different from ordinary open burning?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Merced County
How Merced County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Merced County to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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