Burn season opens for fire hazard reduction in Atascadero
–Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services has officially opened the Fire Hazard Reduction Burn Season starting Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. Just a reminder that the burn day status, whether it is a permissive burn day or not, changes daily and is determined by the California Air Resources Board and north county weather conditions. Residents must obtain the daily burn day status by calling (805) 461-5070, Option 8.
Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services strongly encourages residents to utilize alternative forms of disposal, such as the Waste Alternatives’ Green Waste recycling container or the Chicago Grade Landfill. Burning should be used as a last resort.
Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services has a zero-tolerance policy and will issue citations for violations of the burning regulations.
For further information, contact Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services at (805) 461-5070.
City of Atascadero Fire Hazard Reduction Burn Regulations
The Fire Department encourages you to use green waste recycling.
1. Small parcel owners conducting burning, rather than using the green waste program is strongly discouraged.
2. Burning may take place on permissive burn days only. For burn information, call (805) 461-5070 ext 8 or log on to www.atascadero.org/fd. No person shall conduct a controlled open burning operation on a non-permissive burn day.
3. No burning will be allowed if measurable rain has fallen within the previous five (5) days.
4. Burning may take place only between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with fires extinguished by 4 p.m. with no smoke present.
5. Burning shall be limited to natural wastes from shrubbery and trees grown on property occupied by one or two-family dwellings. Commercial / Industrial, vacant lots, and multi-family occupancies shall not conduct controlled burning operations without a permit.
6. Burning of leaves is not allowed at any time. Material to be burned shall be free of household rubbish, lumber, rubber, plastics, tar, paint, creosote, hydrocarbons, or any man-made substance.
7. Material shall be dry and reasonably free of surface moisture. A minimum of three weeks from the time of cutting will be required for drying.
8. Piles of shrubbery and tree prunings shall be no larger than four feet high and six feet in diameter. A maximum of five piles may be burned at one time.
9. Accelerants (e.g., flammable liquids) shall not be used to start fires in burn piles.
10. Burn piles shall be tended by a responsible adult at all times, and a functioning water hose capable of extinguishing the fire shall be available at all times.
11. Burn piles shall be located a minimum of fifty (50) feet from the property line of neighboring residences and a minimum of thirty (30) feet from any structure, including wooden fences, on the same property.
12. At least fifteen (15) feet of clearance to mineral soil shall be provided between burn piles and any vegetation or other combustible material, including but not limited to: grass, weeds, trees, shrubs, and woodpiles.
13. These rules apply within the City of Atascadero and will be in effect until further notice, and may be canceled or revised at any time due to hazardous weather conditions, such as wind.
14. Open burning will be immediately discontinued if the Chief, or authorized representative, determines that smoke emissions are offensive to occupants of surrounding property, or if the open burning constitutes a hazardous condition.
15. Contact Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services for information regarding agricultural (standing grass or brush) and over-sized hazard reduction permit.
Failure to follow these requirements or the lawful orders of the fire chief, or a delegate thereof, is a violation of the city of Atascadero Municipal Code, and the violator is subject to penalty under that code.
Burn day status number: (805) 461-5070-ext #8
