The increasing fire danger posed by dead grass and hotter, drier conditions across the region has prompted CalFIRE to officially suspend all burn permits for outdoor residential burning within the State Responsibility Area of Lassen, Modoc, and Plumas counties.
According to an announcement released today by CalFIRE, the suspension will also apply to Local Responsibility Areas within Lassen County, per Lassen County Code Chapter 9.17. The ban officially takes effect at 8:00a.m. on Wednesday, June 17th, completely banning all residential outdoor burning of landscape debris.
While outdoor burning of yard debris will no longer be allowed, CalFIRE officials are asking residents to use this critical extra time to prepare their homes for the upcoming wildfire season by creating defensible space and hardening their property ahead of time.
CalFIRE provided several essential tips to help local residents prepare their 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, such as chipping or hauling it to a biomass energy or green waste facility.
The department noted that restricted temporary burning permits may still be issued under special circumstances if there is an essential reason. Agricultural, land management, fire training, and other industrial-type burning may proceed, but only if a CalFIRE official inspects the burn site and issues a special permit ahead of time.
Property owners should note that this residential debris burning suspension does not apply to campfires within organized campgrounds or on private property. However, campfires on private property strictly require written permission from the owner if the property owner is not present. Furthermore, all campfires must be maintained in a manner that prevents them from spreading to the wildland. A valid campfire permit is required.
For additional information on how to create Defensible Space, Home Hardening, Evacuation Planning, and tips on how to properly prevent wildfires, visit the official website at www.ReadyForWildfire.org. For local inquiries, you can contact CalFIRE LMU Public Information Officer Abby Dawson at 1.530.257.4171.
