Cal Fire suspends burn permits in eastern San Joaquin County
Burn permits for outdoor residential burning will be suspended within eastern San Joaquin County starting Wednesday, Cal Fire said.
The ban, which will also take effect in Calaveras, Tuolumne and Eastern Stanislaus counties, will temporarily halt all residential outdoor burning of landscape debris, like branches and leaves, in areas of each county maintained by the state.
"As the weather continues to become hotter and dryer, the lower and mid elevation ranges are entering into conditions that are conducive to the spread of unwanted fires," Unit Chief Nick Casci said. "Residents can continue to work on their defensible space by using alternative methods of disposal such as chipping or disposal of green waste through the resources offered in their specific county."
Warming temperatures and winds are quickly drying out the area's abundant annual grass crop, according to Cal Fire. So far, firefighters across California have responded to over 1,253 wildfires in 2024 alone.
The suspension of burn permits for residential landscape debris does not apply to campfires within organized campgrounds or on private property, Cal Fire said, as long as it is maintained in a way that prevents its spread to wild land. Campfire permits can be obtained at local fire stations or online at PreventWildfireCA.org.
Special permits can still be obtained for industrial-type burning, like in agriculture, land management and fire training, after a Cal Fire official inspects the burn site.
In addition to the changes to residential burn permitting, Cal Fire is asking residents to maintain a minimum of 100 feet of defensible space around all buildings on their property and be prepared for potential evacuations. Creating a defensible space requires clearing all dead or dying vegetation a minimum of 100 feet around all structures. Cal Fire recommends landscaping with fire resistant plans and non-flammable ground cover, in addition to finding alternative ways to dispose of landscape debris.
