San Rafael, CA – The Marin County Fire Department is reminding residents that open burning for the purpose of range management, crop replacement, forest management and orchard pruning is now banned for the season in Marin County.
Pile burning is not permitted in Marin, so if you see smoke in an area with a lot of vegetation, call 911 because it could be a real wildfire.
The restriction was put in place May 1 according to guidelines set forth by the
Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Outdoor wood stoves and fire pits that are 3 feet in diameter or less are legal to use for cooking or warming as long as it’s not a Spare the Air Day, as set by the district.
Although the California State Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL Fire) is allowing permitted burns in many areas of the state, Marin County Fire follows the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s recommendation and put the ban in place as a precaution.
As it prepares for another wildfire season, Marin County Fire reminds residents to create 100 feet of defensible space around homes as required by the California Public Resources Code. Study after study has shown that the solution to disastrous home loss during wildfires is to prevent buildings from igniting while the wildfire burns the surrounding vegetation. Firefighters who battle urban wildfires are often forced to choose which homes can be safely and effectively defended from fire. By reducing fire fuels on the property, the homeowner increases the likelihood that a fire engine could be safely parked in a driveway and that firefighters could work there to protect the home.
The Marin County Board of Supervisors is preparing to declare the week of May 6-12 as Wildfire Awareness Week, but Marin County Fire works year-around in conjunction with the nonprofit FireSafe Marin to promote fire safety. There is much more information on the FireSafe Marin website.