Rural yard burning is the open burning of vegetative material (dry weeds, plant prunings, shrubbery, tree trimmings and branches) from around a residential property not located in an incorporated city. Rural yard burning is permitted in Yolo-Solano AQMD only on District approved burn days and only when authorized by a resident’s local fire district (which may require a burn permit from your local fire district).
To find out if rural yard burning is allowed, contact the District agricultural burn line:
AGRICULTURAL BURN LINE: (530) 757-3660
After listening to the recorded message and confirming that rural yard burning is allowed (as well as the time frame in which burning may be conducted), contact your county’s fire dispatch line to have your burn authorized:
YOLO COUNTY: (530) 666-8920
SOLANO COUNTY: (707) 421-7090
Do not leave a message on the Yolo-Solano AQMD agricultural burn line requesting to receive authorization for a rural yard burn. We will refer you to your county dispatch phone numbers above.
Basic Rules
While Yolo-Solano AQMD does not authorize individual rural yard burns, it does have overriding regulations governing these burns. Local rules set by fire districts, counties or cities may be stricter. Check with your local fire district before burning. Violators of District rules will be cited and penalized.
- Burning may only occur within times set by Yolo-Solano AQMD. In all cases, fires may not start before 9 a.m. and smolder or burn later than 5:00 p.m. Daily burn windows are typically narrower than this range. Please refer to the agricultural burn line recording for the time frame in which burning is allowed.
- All burn material must be dry and free of trash or dirt.
- Vegetative material to be burned must come from the property where burning occurs.
- Burn piles cannot be larger than 4 feet high by 6 feet diameter.
- Burn piles must have adequate clearance from neighboring property (50 feet), structures (50 feet) and combustible materials (15 feet).
- Burns may not cause a nuisance with smoke and ash to neighbors.
- If you live near a “smoke sensitive site” such as a school, nursing home or park you must take extra care to eliminate potential smoke and ash impacts from your burn.
Burning Trash Is Illegal
Smoke and ash generated through the burning of household garbage and non-organic materials can be toxic. Exposure to these pollutants can cause respiratory ailments, stressed immune systems and cancer. Children are especially susceptible to the health impacts of airborne toxins released by the burning of garbage.
You may not burn:
- Garbage
- Building materials (including lumber or demolished structures of any kind)
- Pallets
- Furniture
- Coal
- Any other non-organic materials.
There is a statewide ban on the burning of household garbage and non-organic materials. Violators will be cited.
If you see someone burning anything other than vegetative material outdoors, call (530) 757-3650.
Agricultural Burning vs. Rural Yard Burning
Agricultural burning includes any open burning of vegetative agricultural materials on land used for commercial agricultural purposes. Rural yard burning is limited to vegetative yard material on residential properties where municipal code allows it.
