Cal Fire suspends outdoor burning permits as drought continues
As drought conditions continue to increase fire danger across the region, Cal Fire has suspended all burn permits for outdoor open residential burning within the State Responsibility Area of Riverside County.
The suspension takes effect on Monday, June 1 and will ban all residential outdoor burning of landscape debris including branches and leaves, according to fire officials.
Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Chief John R. Hawkins said, “Please help our firefighters to help you. Prepare your family and harden your home against an approaching wildland fire.”
Chief Hawkins also said the fire department urges homeowners to become familiar with the readyforwildfire.org website, which is an interactive, web-based guide that provides step-by-step instructions on how to be ‘Ready’ for an approaching wildland fire, ‘Set’ to evacuate your family and ‘Go’ early.
The following will be in place during the open burning suspension:
Use of campfires is restricted to within established campfire facilities located in established campgrounds open to the public
Agricultural burning in the Palo Verde Valley and Coachella Valley is authorized as required for agricultural rehabilitation
Cooking fires with a valid permit are permissive when no alternate means of cooking is available and requires an on-site inspection prior to the issuance of a permit
Warming fires are permissive and require an on-site inspection prior to the issuance of a permit when weather conditions exist to justify the request.
“With record-setting drought conditions, we must take every step possible to prevent new wildfires from starting,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE director. “One less spark, means one less wildfire.”
Cal Fire has already responded to significantly more wildfires this year than average.
Tips to help prepare your home and property:
Clear all dead or dying vegetation 100 feet around all structures
Landscape with fire resistant/drought tolerant plants
Find alternative ways to dispose of landscape debris like chipping or hauling it to a biomass energy facility
The fire department may issue restricted temporary burning permits if there’s an essential reason due to public health and/or safety, officials said in a release.
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.
Campfires within organized campgrounds or on private property that are otherwise permitted will be allowed if the campfire is maintained to prevent its spread to the wildland.
