CAL FIRE suspending burn permits in Solano, Yolo counties

(File photo)

CAL FIRE says it will suspend burn permits for the region next week as dead vegetation and upcoming heat contribute to an increased risk for wildfires.

The suspension starts on Monday, June 26 and will affect all residential burning operations in Colusa, Napa, Solano and Yolo counties. A similar suspension will start on Monday, July 3 in Sonoma County.

“During this period, we still encourage residents to work on creating that defensible space and complete home hardening projects to improve your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire, should one strike near you,” Mike Marcucci, the chief of the Sonoma-Lake-Napa unit of CAL FIRE, said in a statement.

Marcucci said residents can learn more about creating a defensible space and hardening their property in an effort to prevent the impacts of wildfires by visiting the Ready for Wildfire website.

CAL FIRE recommends clearing all dead or dying vegetation within 100 feet from structures; installing fire-resident plants and non-flammable ground cover for landscape; and finding alternate ways to dispose of landscape debris, to include chipping or hauling it to a biomass or green energy waste facility.

The burn permit suspension does not apply to camp fires that are started on organized campgrounds, nor does it apply to similar fires on private property, though local government officials may restrict these types of fires on a per-location basis. Campfire permits can be obtained online here.