CAL FIRE to suspend burn permits for Solano County, Yolo County

A vegetation fire burns in rural Solano County near Winters on June 22, 2022. (File photo)

CAL FIRE will suspend all outdoor burn permits for portions of Solano County and neighboring Yolo County within the state firefighting agency’s jurisdiction, starting next week.

The suspension comes amid a rapid drying of grass and other vegetation brought on by a saturated winter followed by above-average temperatures, which are expected to continue throughout the summer.

The agency issues burn permits during portions of the year to allow residents and some businesses in rural areas to clear dry vegetation on their properties, which can be an effective wildfire prevention technique.

But the combination of a wet winter with above-average temperatures means vegetation is drying and dying faster than usual, increasing wildfire danger in remote parts of Solano and Yolo counties controlled by CAL FIRE.

Since the start of this year, CAL FIRE says it has responded to nearly 70 wildfires across the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit (LNU), which includes Solano and Yolo counties, as well as Colusa, Napa, Lake and Sonoma counties. That count doesn’t include grass fires and other types of wildfires that local firefighting agencies and county fire protection districts have responded to over the past six months without CAL FIRE’s assistance.

The suspension of outdoor burn permits will start Monday, June 17 at 8 a.m., at which points residents and businesses will no longer be able to clear branches, leaves and other vegetative debris by burning them.

"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," a CAL FIRE spokesperson said in a statement.

CAL FIRE says it may issue some restricted, temporary burn permits “if there is an essential reason due to public health and safety.” Those permits will be extended for agricultural, land management, fire training and other industrial-type reasons, only after a CAL FIRE official inspects the burn site and issues a restricted permit.

The suspension of burn permits does not extend to camp fires on campgrounds or other types of private property. Camp fire burn permits can be obtained from local fire agencies, CAL FIRE says.

For more information, visit the Prevent Wildfire website by clicking or tapping here.