Cal Fire suspends residential burn permits in North Bay counties
Cal Fire announced it will suspend residential burn permits in the North Bay for the remainder of the dry season starting Monday.
The annual curtailment of residential burning coincides with the coming of dangerously dry conditions, this year compounded by the fact that a wet winter boosted the growth of wild grasses and other vegetation, which increased the fire-fuel load in the region.
The burn ban includes Colusa, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties and applies to outdoor burning of landscape debris by homeowners.
Lake County's annual burn ban is managed by the Lake County Air Quality Management District and began on May 1, according to Cal Fire officials.
The ban doesn't apply to campfires at organized campgrounds or on private property. A campfire permit can be obtained at local fire stations or online at PreventWildfireCA.org.
Also, Cal Fire can issue temporary permits for burns required to protect public health and safety. Agriculture, land management, fire training and other industrial burning is allowed if a Cal Fire official inspects the burn site and grants a permit.
So far this year, the Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit has responded to 124 wildfires of various sizes, which is an increase from 92 fires in 2024 and 87 fires in 2023, but consistent with the five-year average of 147 fires between Jan. 1 and June 15, according to agency officials.
For information on how to create defensible space around homes and other buildings and how to prepare for wildfires, people can visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org.
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