Cal Fire suspending residential burn permits in San Diego County amid dry conditions

SAN DIEGO ( FOX 5/KUSI ) — Citing hot, dry conditions and the amount of dead brush, Cal Fire has announced the suspension of residential burn permits in San Diego County starting in June 2024.

Effective June 1 at 8 a.m., the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) is suspending all burn permits for outdoor residential burning within the State Responsibility Area of San Diego County.

Cal Fire noted the suspension is because of the fire danger risk due to a high volume of dead grass and increasing hot, dry conditions in the region.

The suspension means all residential outdoor burning of branches and leaves and any other landscape debris is not allowed.

Firefighters have already responded to over 950 wildfires across California since the beginning of 2024, according to Cal Fire.

The agency is asking San Diego County residents to mitigate the risk of wildfires around their homes with these tips:

• Clear dead and 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 like chipping or taking it to a biomass energy or green waste facility

Campfires on private property and at campgrounds are still allowed, but require a permit .

During certain times of the year and in certain parts of the state, residential burning of dead vegetation, agency-sponsored and agricultural burning projects, and broadcast burning is allowed, unless otherwise noted like the current suspension.

Last year, Cal Fire suspended burn permits in June, lifting that suspension in November 2023.

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