Cal Fire Suspends Burn Permits in Humboldt, Del Norte, and Western Trinity Counties
Firefighter on the Ranch Fire in 2018 [Crop of a photo by Mark McKenna]
With 2020 starting out with February being the driest month since the 1850’s in California, warming temperatures and winds are quickly drying out the annual grass crop. The increasing fire danger posed by dead grass and hotter, drier conditions in the region is prompting CAL FIRE to suspend all burn permits for outdoor residential burning within the State Responsibility Areas of Humboldt, Del Norte and Western Trinity Counties. This suspension takes effect Monday, June 29, 2020 and bans all residential outdoor burning of landscape debris such as branches and leaves.
“The last few years saw devastating reminder’s that the public cannot let their guard down. Together, we must continue to adapt and evolve to be able to withstand the intensity of these fires, keeping in mind, that the only way to mitigate the damage they cause is through prevention and preparation,” said Chief Thom Porter, CAL FIRE director. “The potential is
great for the dry, hot weather that fueled the massive fires over the last few years will return again this year, so it is up to the public to be ready.”
Since January 1, 2020, CAL FIRE and firefighters across the state have already responded to over 2,405 wildfires burning more than 13,600 acres. While outdoor burning of landscape debris by homeowners is no longer allowed, CAL FIRE is asking residents to take that extra time to ensure that they are prepared for wildfires by maintaining a minimum of 100 feet of Defensible Space around every home and buildings on their property and being prepared to evacuate if the time comes.
Here are some tips to help prepare homes and property:
Clear all dead and or dying vegetation 100 feet from around all structures.
Landscape with fire resistant plants and non-flammable ground cover.
Find alternative ways to dispose of landscape debris like chipping or hauling it to a biomass energy or green waste facility
The department may issue restricted temporary burning permits if there is an essential reason due to public health and safety. Agriculture, land management, fire training, and other industrial-type burning may proceed if a CAL FIRE official inspects the burn site and issues a special permit.
The suspension of burn permits for residential landscape debris does not apply to campfires within organized campgrounds or on private property. Campfires may be permitted if the campfire is maintained in such a manner as to prevent its spread to the wildland. A campfire permit can be obtained at local fire stations or online at PreventWildfireCA.org.
For more information on how you can prevent wildfires, visit www.ReadyforWildfire.org
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“It was a dry year, so it’s going to be a bad fire year…or… It was a wet year, so there’s going to be more fuel, so it’s going to be a bad fire year.”
https://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/awipsProducts/RNORR4RSA.php
For rainfall totals through yesterday. February was horrible for precipitation this year, fortunately the end of march into June played a lot of catch up.
I’ve got 30.5″ rain to date, by my count, or about 70% of normal, which is what Redding has, so I must be close. Since the article reads in part “The suspension of burn permits for residential landscape debris does not apply to campfires within organized campgrounds or on private property” I was wondering if that means suspension does not apply to private property, or campfires are still allowed on private property? Either way Rover, I’ll take prudent precautions if or when I burn anything.
I’m sure you will be prudent. According to a Calfire Chief I know well, they can’t prevent you from having campfires on private property if you’re cooking food with it.
My rain guage broke sometime this winter… still haven’t replaced it.
Both of these are true. There are multiple aspects of wildfire hazard. A wet year often results in a taller and thicker grass crop, which makes fire behavior in grass fires more intense. A dry year, and especially a dry spring, means the larger logs (known as 1000 hour and 10000 hour fuels) dry to their core, and do so earlier in the summer. That is a major factor driving extreme fire behavior in timber fires.
I do agree with you that the fire suppression agencies usually fail to explain this adequately, to avoid the confusion you allude to.
I think the default position of all fire agencies is that it’s going to be a “bad” fire season, regardless of rain or lack thereof. Afterall, fire is big business.
??Finally there using there heads. ??
I’ve always thought of my Residential Burn Permit as ‘expiring’ May 1st. In most years without many significant rain storms after that date it has seemed prudent to not count on being able to have a backyard burn after the First of May.
I am happy to wait until after some good fall or winter rains to burn again.
Cal Fire is spot on by suspending burning permits. The last thing they need are people burning trash, leaves, etc., and letting it get out of control. A single match can turn into 10,000 acres in a heart beat. Tinder dry fuel and a little wind, and there she goes!