February 9, 2012

Placer County APCD 303 - 1 Rules and Regulations

RULE 303 PRESCRIBED BURNING SMOKE MANAGEMENT

Adopted 02-10-11

(Amended 02-09-12)

CONTENTS

100 GENERAL

101 PURPOSE

102 APPLICABILITY

103 EXEMPTIONS

200 DEFINITIONS

201 AGRICULTURAL BURNING

202 AIR QUALITY

203 AMBIENT AIR

204 BURN PROJECT

205 BRUSH TREATMENT

206 CLASS I AREA

207 DISALLOWED COMBUSTIBLES

208 FIRE PROTECTION AGENCY

209 FOREST MANAGEMENT BURNING

210 FORTY-EIGHT (48) HOUR FORECAST

211 LAND MANAGER

212 NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS (NAAQS)

213 NINETY-SIX (96) HOUR TREND

214 NO-BURN DAY

215 OPEN BURNING OR OPEN OUTDOOR FIRE

216 PARTICULATE MATTER (PM)

217 PERMISSIVE BURN DAY OR BURN DAY

218 PRESCRIBED BURN

219 PRESCRIBED BURNING

220 RANGE IMPROVEMENT BURNING

221 SACRAMENTO VALLEY SMOKE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

222 SEVENTY-TWO (72) HOUR OUTLOOK

223 SHEETING

224 SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES

225 SMOKE MANAGEMENT PLAN

226 SMOKE MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTION

227 SMOKE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

228 SMOKE SENSITIVE AREAS

229 STATE AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS

230 TIMBER OPERATIONS

231 WILDFIRE

232 WILDLAND

233 WILDLAND FIRE

234 WILDLAND/URBAN INTERFACE

235 WILDLIFE OR GAME HABITAT

236 WILDLAND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT BURNING

300 STANDARDS

301 PROHIBITIONS ON OPEN BURNING

302 BURN PERMITS

303 BURN PERMIT VALIDITY

304 BURN DAYS
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Rules and Regulations 303 - 2 Placer County APCD

305 REGISTRATION OF PRESCRIBED BURNS

306 SMOKE MANAGEMENT PLANS

307 VEGETATION PREPARATION AND DRYING TIMES

308 BURN AUTHORIZATION

309 APPROVED IGNITION DEVICES

310 WIND DIRECTION

311 DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT BURNED DAILY

400 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

401 BURN PERMIT APPLICATION INFORMATION

402 REVOCATION OF A BURN PERMIT

403 SMOKE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

404 APCO APPROVAL

405 BURN PERMIT FEES

500 MONITORING AND RECORDS

501 BURN REPORTS
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Placer County APCD 303 - 3 Rules and Regulations

100 GENERAL

101 PURPOSE: To establish standards and administrative requirements under which 

agricultural burning, including prescribed burning, may occur in a reasonably regulated 

manner that manages the generation of smoke and reduces the emission of particulates 

and other air contaminants from such burning. This rule regulates the use of open 

outdoor fires used in forest management, range improvement, improvement of land for 

wildlife and game habitat or disease or pest prevention, or the use of open outdoor fires 

used in the operation or the maintenance of a system for the delivery of water and 

wildland vegetation management burning.

To establish the requirements pursuant to Title 17 CCR Subchapter 2 - Smoke 

Management Guidelines for Agricultural and Prescribed Burning, Article 2 - District 

Smoke Management Program.

102 APPLICABILITY: The provisions of this Rule apply to all prescribed burning conducted 

in Placer County except where otherwise prohibited by a local jurisdiction.

103 EXEMPTIONS:

103.1 Rule Exemptions

103.1.1 Burning conducted pursuant to Rule 301, NONAGRICULTURAL 

BURNING SMOKE MANAGEMENT is exempt from this Rule.

103.1.2 Burning conducted pursuant to Rule 302, AGRICULTURAL WASTE 

BURNING SMOKE MANAGEMENT is exempt from this Rule.

103.1.3 Burning conducted pursuant to Rule 304, LAND DEVELOPMENT 

BURNING SMOKE MANAGEMENT is exempt from this Rule.

103.1.4 Burning conducted pursuant to Rule 305, RESIDENTIAL ALLOWABLE 

BURNING is exempt from this Rule.

103.1.5 Burning conducted pursuant to Rule 306, OPEN BURNING OF 

NONINDUSTRIAL WOOD WASTE AT DESIGNATED DISPOSAL 

SITES is exempt from this Rule.

103.2 Exemptions From Section 304, Burn Days

103.2.1 Empty Sacks or Containers: The APCO may, by special burn permit, 

authorize the burning of empty sacks or containers which contained 

pesticides or other toxic substances on the premises where used, 

provided the sacks or containers are within the definition of agricultural

wastes.

103.2.2 Burn Day Exemption for Threat of Imminent and Substantial Economic 

Loss: The APCO may, by burn permit, allow agricultural burning on 

days designated by the ARB or APCO as "no burn days" if the denial 

of the burn permit would threaten imminent and substantial economic 

loss. The granting of an exception does not exempt the applicant from 

any other District or fire control regulations. Such authorization shall be 

limited to the amount of acreage which can be burned in any one day 

and will only authorize burning which is not likely to cause or contribute 

to exceedances of air quality standards or result in smoke impacts to 

smoke sensitive areas.
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Rules and Regulations 303 - 4 Placer County APCD

200 DEFINITIONS: (Unless otherwise defined below, the terms used in this Rule are as defined in 

Rule 102, DEFINITIONS or Rule 301, NONAGRICULTURAL BURNING SMOKE 

MANAGEMENT.)

201 AGRICULTURAL BURNING: Open outdoor fires used in agricultural operations in the 

growing of crops or raising of fowl or animals; open outdoor fires used in forest 

management, range improvement; or the improvement of land for wildlife and game 

habitat or disease or pest prevention; or the use of open outdoor fires used in the 

operation or the maintenance of a system for the delivery of water and wildland 

vegetation management burning.

202 AIR QUALITY: The characteristics of the ambient air as indicated by state ambient air 

quality standards which have been adopted by the ARB pursuant to Section 39606 of the 

Health and Safety Code and by National Ambient Air Quality Standards which have been 

established pursuant to Sections 108 and 109 of the federal Clean Air Act pertaining to 

criteria pollutants and Section 169A of the federal Clean Air Act pertaining to visibility.

203 AMBIENT AIR: That portion of the atmosphere, external to buildings, to which the 

general public has access.

204 BURN PROJECT: An active or planned prescribed burn or a naturally ignited wildland 

fire managed for resource benefits.

205 BRUSH TREATMENT: Vegetation to be burned that has been felled, crushed or 

uprooted with mechanical equipment, or has been desiccated with herbicides.

206 CLASS I AREA: A mandatory visibility protection area designated pursuant to Section 

169A of the federal Clean Air Act.

207 DISALLOWED COMBUSTIBLES: Any waste or manufactured material, including but 

not limited to petroleum products and petroleum wastes; construction and demolition 

debris; coated wire; putrescible (rotten wastes) and non-putrescible solid, semisolid and 

liquid materials or wastes; tires; tar; tarpaper; non-natural wood waste; processed or 

treated wood and wood products; metals; motor vehicle bodies and parts; rubber; 

synthetics; plastics, including plastic film, twine and pipe; fiberglass; styrofoam; garbage; 

trash; refuse; rubbish; disposable diapers; ashes; glass; industrial wastes; manufactured 

products; equipment; instruments; utensils; appliances; furniture; cloth; rags; paper or 

paper products; cardboard; boxes; crates; excelsior; offal; swill; carcass of a dead animal; 

manure; human or animal parts or wastes, including blood; and fecal- and foodcontaminated material.

208 FIRE PROTECTION AGENCY: Any agency with the responsibility and authority to 

protect people, property, and the environment from fire, and having jurisdiction within the 

District.

209 FOREST MANAGEMENT BURNING: The use of open outdoor fires, as part of a forest 

management practice, to remove forest debris. Forest management practices include 

timber operations, silvicultural practices, and forest protection practices.

210 FORTY-EIGHT (48) HOUR FORECAST: A prediction of the meteorological and air 

quality conditions that are expected to exist for a prescribed burn in a specific area 48 

hours from the day of the prediction. The prediction should indicate a degree of 

confidence.

211 LAND MANAGER: Any federal, state, local, or private entity that administers, directs, 

oversees, or controls the use of public or private land, including the application of fire to 

the land.
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Placer County APCD 303 - 5 Rules and Regulations

212 NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS (NAAQS): Standards promulgated 

by the United States Environmental Protection Agency that specify the maximum 

acceptable concentrations of pollutants in the ambient air to protect public health with an 

adequate margin of safety, and to protect public welfare from any known or anticipated 

adverse effects of such pollutants (e.g., visibility impairment, soiling, harm to wildlife or 

vegetation, materials damage, etc.) in the ambient air.

213 NINETY-SIX (96) HOUR TREND: A prediction of the meteorological and air quality 

conditions that are expected to exist for a prescribed burn in a specific area 96 hours 

from the day of the prediction.

214 NO BURN DAY: Any day on which agricultural burning, including prescribed burning, is 

prohibited by the ARB or the APCO.

215 OPEN BURNING OR OUTDOOR FIRE: Burning of any combustibles of any type,

outdoors in the open air, where the products of combustion are not directed through a 

flue.

216 PARTICULATE MATTER (PM): Any material, except uncombined water, which can 

exist in a finely divided form as a liquid or solid.

217 PERMISSIVE BURN DAY OR BURN DAY: Any day in which agricultural burning,

including prescribed burning, is not prohibited by the ARB and/or the APCO.

218 PRESCRIBED BURN: Includes Forest Management, Range Improvement, Wildland 

Vegetation Management, Wildland/Urban Interface, and naturally-ignited burns for 

resource benefits.

219 PRESCRIBED BURNING: The planned application and confinement of fire to wildland 

fuels on lands selected in advance of that application, to achieve any of the following 

objectives:

219.1 Prevention of high-intensity wildland fires through the reduction of the volume 

and continuity of wildland fuels;

219.2 Watershed management;

219.3 Range improvement;

219.4 Vegetation management;

219.5 Forest improvement and/or forest management;

219.6 Wildlife habitat improvement;

219.7 Air quality maintenance.

220 RANGE IMPROVEMENT BURNING: The use of open outdoor fires to remove 

vegetation for a wildlife, game, or livestock habitat or for the initial establishment of an 

agricultural practice on previously uncultivated land.

221 SACRAMENTO VALLEY SMOKE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM: A regional program 

outlined under a plan prepared by the Sacramento Valley Basinwide Air Pollution Control 

Council (BCC) and its Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The BCC and TAC are 

comprised of an elected district board member and APCO, respectively, from each air 

district in the Basin: Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Placer, Sacramento, Shasta, Tehama, 

Yolo/Solano, and Feather River. The BCC reviews and amends the program in 
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Rules and Regulations 303 - 6 Placer County APCD

cooperation with the staff of the California Air Resources Board Meteorology and 

Compliance Program Review sections, the affected industry, environmental groups, and 

other interested parties.

222 SEVENTY-TWO (72) HOUR OUTLOOK: A prediction of the meteorological and air 

quality conditions that are expected to exist for a prescribed burn, in a specific area, 72 

hours from the day of the prediction.

223 SHEETING: Polyethylene, kraft paper or other products commercially manufactured for 

covering piles of vegetation prior to burning for the purpose of keeping vegetation dry. 

Covers on piles have been shown to reduce emissions, by keeping some of the pile dry, 

which allows more rapid ignition of the piles with a minimum need for ignition accelerants.

224 SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES: The establishment, development, care, maintenance, or

reproduction of stands of timber.

225 SMOKE MANAGEMENT PLAN: A document prepared for each prescribed fire by land 

managers or fire managers that provides the information and procedures required in 

Section 80160 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations.

226 SMOKE MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTION: Measurable criteria that define conditions 

under which a prescribed fire may be ignited, guide selection of appropriate management 

responses, and indicate other required actions. Prescription criteria may include, but are 

not limited to minimizing smoke impacts, and safety, economic, public health, 

environmental, geographic, administrative, social, or legal considerations such as 

complying with Health and Safety Code Section 41700, public nuisance statute.

227 SMOKE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM: A program adopted by the District Board and 

approved by the California Air Resources Board as required under Title 17 of the 

California Code of Regulations, Chapter 1, Subchapter 2, Smoke Management 

Guidelines for Agricultural and Prescribed Burning. The program outlines the 

implementation and enforcement of a smoke management program for those portions of 

Placer County in the Mountain Counties and Lake Tahoe Air Basins.

228 SMOKE SENSITIVE AREAS: Populated areas and other areas where the District has 

determined that smoke and air pollutants can adversely affect public health or welfare. 

Such areas can include, but are not limited to, cities, towns and villages, campgrounds, 

trails, populated recreational areas, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, roads, airports, 

public events, shopping centers, and mandatory Class I areas.

229 STATE AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS: Specified concentrations and durations 

of air pollutants which reflect the relationship between the intensity and composition of air 

pollution to undesirable effects, as established by the state board pursuant to Health and 

Safety Code Section 39606.

230 TIMBER OPERATIONS: The cutting or removal of timber or other forest vegetation.

231 WILDFIRE: An unwanted wildland fire.

232 WILDLAND: An area where development is generally limited to roads, railroads, power 

lines, and widely scattered structures. Such land is not cultivated (i.e., the soil is 

disturbed less frequently than once in 10 years), is not fallow, and is not in the United 

States Department of Agriculture Conservation Reserve Program. The land may be 

neglected altogether or managed for such purposes as wood or forage production, 

wildlife, recreation, wetlands, or protective plant cover. For CAL FIRE only, “Wildland” as

specified in California Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 4464(a) means any land 

that is classified as a state responsibility area pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with 
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Placer County APCD 303 - 7 Rules and Regulations

Section 4125) of Chapter 1, Part 2 of Division 4 and includes any such land having a 

plant cover consisting principally of grasses, forbs, or shrubs that are valuable for forage.

Any lands that are contiguous to lands classified as a state responsibility area if wildland 

fuel accumulation is such that a wildland fire occurring on these lands would pose a 

threat to the adjacent state responsibility area.

233 WILDLAND FIRE: Any nonstructural fire, other than prescribed fire, that occurs in the 

wildland.

234 WILDLAND/URBAN INTERFACE: The line, area, or zone where structures and other 

human development meet or intermingle with the wildland.

235 WILDLIFE OR GAME HABITAT: Any area used or planned to be used for conservation 

or management of wild plants or animals.

236 WILDLAND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT BURNING: The use of prescribed burning 

conducted by a public agency or through a cooperative agreement or contract involving a 

public agency to burn land predominantly covered with chaparral, (As defined in 

California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 1.5, Chapter 9.8, Article 1, Section 

1561.1), trees, grass or standing brush. The planned application of fire may include 

naturally ignited burns.

300 STANDARDS

The provisions of the Smoke Management Program, pursuant to Title 17 CCR Subchapter 2 -

Smoke Management Guidelines for Agricultural and Prescribed Burning, Article 2 - District Smoke 

Management Program are included within Sections 300 and 400.

301 PROHIBITIONS ON OPEN BURNING: Except as provided in Regulation 3, no person 

shall use open outdoor fires (including the use of a burn barrel) for the purpose of 

disposal or burning of any disallowed combustibles.

302 BURN PERMITS

302.1 A person shall not ignite or allow agricultural burning or prescribed burning 

without first obtaining a valid burn permit from the District.

302.2 A separate burn permit may also be required from the fire protection agency that 

has jurisdiction in the area of the proposed burn project.

303 BURN PERMIT VALIDITY: No burn permit shall be construed to authorize open outdoor 

fires for any day during which:

303.1 It is a no-burn day.

303.2 Open burning is prohibited by a fire protection agency for fire control or 

prevention.

304 BURN DAYS: No person shall knowingly ignite or allow ignition of agricultural burning or 

prescribed burning on no burn days or when burning is prohibited by a fire protection 

agency.

305 REGISTRATION OF PRESCRIBED BURNS

305.1 All persons who want to conduct prescribed burning in the District in any 

particular calendar year must register their planned burn projects with the District. 
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Rules and Regulations 303 - 8 Placer County APCD

Burn projects shall be registered semi-annually prior to the spring and fall burn 

season. Updates and late additions to this registration process are accepted.

305.1.1 The burn registration shall include the name and address of the 

permittee, including a contact person with phone number.

305.1.2 A listing of all projects planned, with legal descriptions of their locations 

(township, range, section number).

305.1.3 An estimate of the total acreage and/or tons of vegetation to be 

burned.

305.1.4 The scheduled month of expected burning for each listed burn project.

305.1.5 A meteorological prescription addressing smoke management 

concerns, if applicable.

305.2 Burn registrations are not required to be in a specific format but shall contain all 

the required information in subsection 305.1.

306 SMOKE MANAGEMENT PLANS

Smoke management plans may be required for the following types of burns: planned 

wildland, wildland vegetation management, forest management, and range improvement 

burn projects.

306.1 Submittal and District approval of a smoke management plan, unless otherwise 

indicated.

306.1.1 Submittal of a smoke management plan shall occur at least 14 days in 

advance of the burn. District approval of the smoke management plan 

shall be obtained at least 72 hours prior to the burn.

306.2 For burn projects less than 10 acres in size and/or that will emit less than one ton 

of particulate matter, the land manager must obtain a District burn permit.

306.3 For burn projects between 10 and 100 acres and/or that will emit between one

ton and 10 tons of particulate matter, the land manager must obtain a District 

burn permit, and submit the following information in a smoke management plan:

306.3.1 Location, types and amounts of vegetation to be burned;

306.3.2 Expected duration of the prescribed fire from ignition to extinction;

306.3.3 Identification of responsible personnel, including telephone contacts; 

and

306.3.4 Identification and location of all smoke sensitive areas

306.4 For burn projects greater than 100 acres or estimated to produce more than 10

tons of particulate matter, the land manager must obtain a District burn permit,

and submit the information in Section 306.3, along with the following information

in a smoke management plan:

306.4.1 Identification of meteorological conditions necessary for burning;

306.4.2 The smoke management criteria the land manager or his/her designee 

will use in making burn ignition decisions;
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Placer County APCD 303 - 9 Rules and Regulations

306.4.3 Projections, including a map, of where the smoke is expected to travel, 

both day and night;

306.4.4 Specific contingency actions, including fire suppression or containment 

plans, that will be taken if smoke impacts occur or meteorological 

conditions deviate from those specified in the smoke management 

plan; and

306.4.5 An evaluation of alternatives to burning considered; if an analysis of 

alternatives has been prepared as part of the environmental 

documentation required for the burn project pursuant to the National

Environmental Policy Act or the California Environmental Quality Act 

as applicable, the analysis shall be attached to the smoke 

management plan in satisfaction of this requirement or the location of 

where such information may be found can be referred to in the smoke 

management plan.

306.5 For burn projects that are greater than 250 acres, or will continue burning or 

producing smoke overnight, or are near smoke sensitive areas or as otherwise 

required by the District, the land manager must obtain a District burn permit and 

submit the information in Sections 306.3 and 306.4, along with the following 

information in a smoke management plan.

306.5.1 Visual monitoring;

306.5.2 Ambient particulate monitoring; or

306.5.3 Other monitoring as approved by the APCO.

306.6 The land manager shall coordinate daily with the District, or the ARB, for multiday burns that may impact smoke sensitive areas, to affirm that the burn project 

complies with the conditions specified in the smoke management plan, and/or 

whether contingency actions are necessary. If the land manager or District staff 

observes unacceptable smoke impacts occurring to a smoke sensitive area from 

an authorized burn, then the burner shall promptly take such contingency actions 

as necessary.

306.7 Naturally-Ignited Burns for Resource Benefits: When a natural ignition occurs on 

a no burn day, the initial “go/no-go” decision to manage the fire for resource 

benefit shall be a “no-go” unless:

306.7.1 After consultation with the appropriate land manager, the District 

determines, for smoke management purposes, that the burn can be 

managed for resource benefit; or

306.7.2 For periods of less than 24 hours, the land manager has made a 

reasonable effort to contact the District, or if the District is not 

available, the ARB.

306.7.3 After 24 hours, the land manager has made a reasonable effort to 

contact the District, or if the District is not available, the ARB has been 

contacted and concurs that the burn can be managed for resource 

benefit.

A “no-go” decision does not necessarily mean that the fire must be extinguished, 

but that the fire cannot be considered as a prescribed fire.
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Rules and Regulations 303 - 10 Placer County APCD

Smoke management plans shall be submitted within 72 hours of the start of the 

fire for naturally ignited wildland fires managed for resource benefits that are 

expected to exceed 10 acres in size.

306.8 Adherence with an Approved Smoke Management Plan: The land manager or 

his/her designee conducting a prescribed burn shall ensure that all conditions 

and requirements stated in the approved smoke management plan are met on 

the day of the burn event, prior to ignition.

306.9 Post-Burn Evaluation Requirements: The land manager shall submit a post-burn 

evaluation for fires greater than 250 acres or fires with adverse smoke impacts,

as determined by the APCO, within thirty (30) days of project completion.

306.10 Fish and Game Certification: For burns done primarily for the improvement of 

land for wildlife and game habit, the burn permit applicant shall file with the 

District a statement from the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) 

certifying that the prescribed burn is desirable and proper. The CDFG may 

specify the amount of brush treatment required, along with any other conditions it 

deems appropriate. Alternatively, the APCO may accept a wildlife biologist 

opinion contained in a land management plan approved by the appropriate state 

or federal authority or certifications by the United States Fish and Wildlife 

Service.

307 VEGETATION PREPARATION AND DRYING TIMES: To assure rapid and complete 

combustion with a minimum of smoke, and to lower the moisture content of the 

vegetation being burned, (from when the vegetation was cut until it is to be burned), the 

following are drying times.

307.1 No vegetation shall be burned unless it is reasonably free of disallowed

combustibles, dirt, soil, and surface moisture and shall be burned in a manner to 

prevent excessive smoke. Excessive smoke is that which causes a nuisance.

307.2 For pile burning, the vegetation shall be burned in place or stacked loosely, dried 

and be free of dirt and surface moisture when possible. Piled vegetation shall be 

prepared so that it will burn with a minimum of smoke.

307.3 Drying times for vegetation to be included in a range improvement burn shall be 

at least six months, if economically and technically feasible.

307.4 A minimum of three to six weeks of drying time for prunings or brush or small 

branches 3 to 6 inches in diameter, at the cut end is suggested for prescribed 

burning.

307.5 A minimum of six weeks of drying time, for trees stumps, and large branches 

greater than 6 inches in diameter, at the cut end is suggested for prescribed 

burning. Stumps should be free of dirt and rocks.

307.6 Unwanted trees shall be felled and dried prior to the burn.

307.7 The vegetation to be burned must originate within the boundaries of the 

prescribed burning project.

307.8 Vegetation should be windrowed or piled if technically feasible.

307.9 Burn Pile Sheeting: Sheeting may be burned with the vegetation provided that:

307.9.1 The sheeting has been covering piled vegetation for at least one month 

prior to burning;
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307.9.2 The amount of sheeting burned is no more than the minimum 

necessary to cover the pile;

307.9.3 Removal of the sheeting before burning is impractical; and

307.9.4 The land manager is able to provide evidence, such as purchase 

records or package labeling, that the sheeting is manufactured for this 

purpose.

308 BURN AUTHORIZATION: The burn authorization specifies the amount, timing, and 

location for the burn projects on a daily basis.

308.1 Burn authorizations shall be given on a first come - first served basis. A burn 

authorization may be rescinded if meteorological conditions change such that 

adverse air quality impacts, including complaints, are likely, or if burning by a fire 

protection agency to abate an imminent fire hazard is suddenly and unexpectedly 

required in the same area. Authorization requests to the District can be made by 

phone, fax, email, in person or through a web-based program, prior to ignition.

308.2 Burning shall only be conducted on a burn day except as allowed under Section 

103.2.

308.3 Prior to requesting a burn authorization from the District, land managers can

obtain a 48-hour forecast, 72-hour outlook, and a 96-hour trend for specific burns 

from the California Air Resources Board duty meteorologist. These forecasts are 

not a substitute for a burn authorization, and contain no guarantee that a 

favorable forecast will necessarily lead to a burn authorization approval from the 

District.

308.4 For multi-day burns the burner shall obtain daily authorization from the District 

prior to continuing with the burn.

309 APPROVED IGNITION DEVICES: All open outdoor fires as authorized by this regulation 

shall be ignited only with approved ignition devices. The vegetation to be burned should 

be ignited as rapidly as practicable within applicable fire control restrictions.

310 WIND DIRECTION: Burning shall be curtailed when smoke is drifting into a nearby 

populated area or which is or may become a nuisance or hazard.

311 DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT BURNED DAILY

311.1 Sacramento Valley Air Basin: A prescribed burn conducted under a Smoke 

Management Plan, located in the Sacramento Valley Air Basin, shall be 

considered a part of the daily agricultural burning acreage allocation that was 

burned on a given day.

311.2 Mountain Counties and Lake Tahoe Air Basins: Only that amount of vegetation 

that can be reasonably expected to burn completely within 24 hours of ignition.

400 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

401 BURN PERMIT APPLICATION INFORMATION

401.1 Type of burning;

401.2 Name and/or Business Name and address of the permittee;
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401.3 Location of the proposed burn;

401.4 Distance from the proposed burn to the nearest neighboring home or structure;

401.5 The type of vegetation or agricultural waste to be burned;

401.6 Acreage or estimated tonnage or size of pile of the vegetation to be burned;

401.7 Reason for burning;

401.8 Applicant’s signature with date signed. The applicant signing the burn permit

shall read and attest to the accuracy of the information provided.

401.9 Each burn permit issued shall bear a statement of warning containing the 

following words or words of like or similar import: "THIS BURN PERMIT IS 

VALID ONLY FOR THOSE DAYS ON WHICH THE STATE AIR RESOURCES 

BOARD DOES NOT PROHIBIT AGRICULTURAL BURNING PURSUANT TO 

SECTION 41855 OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE."

401.10 The applicant or representative shall have the burn permit available for 

inspection at the burn site during the burn.

402 REVOCATION OF A BURN PERMIT: The APCO, or his/her designee, may revoke a 

burn permit if it is found that the burn permit conditions, any state or federal laws, or the 

provisions of this Rule have been violated. The designated agency or the APCO shall 

notify the burn permit holder in writing of the revocation and the reasons. Service of the 

notification of revocation may be by personal delivery or certified mail. In the case of 

service by mail, service shall be deemed complete at the time of deposit of the 

notification in the United States Post Office, or a mail box, sub-Post Office, substation, or 

mail chute, or other like facility.

402.1 Within ten days after service of the notice of revocation specified in Section 402

the burn permit holder may petition the Hearing Board in writing for a public 

hearing. The Hearing Board, after notice and a public hearing held within 30 days 

after filing the petition, may sustain or reverse the decision of the APCO or the 

designated agency.

403 SMOKE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

403.1 Sacramento Valley Air Basin: The Sacramento Valley Smoke Management 

Program applies to agricultural and other burning operations, as defined by 

Section 80101 of Title 17 of the CCR, which are conducted at all elevations in the 

Sacramento Valley Air Basin. Policies and procedures specified by the 

Sacramento Valley Smoke Management program apply throughout the year 

unless otherwise specified in the program.

403.2 Mountain Counties and Lake Tahoe Air Basins: The Placer County Smoke 

Management Program applies to agricultural and other burning operations, as 

defined by Section 80101 of Title 17 of the CCR, which are in the Mountain 

Counties and Lake Tahoe Air Basins. Policies and procedures specified by this 

program apply throughout the year unless otherwise specified in the program.

404 APCO APPROVAL: No person shall commence an agricultural burn without receiving 

permission from the APCO, or his/her designee. For those air basins using a daily 

allocation system, the APCO shall distribute the daily allocated acreage for the purposes 

of minimizing the density of emissions and protecting downwind urban areas.
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Placer County APCD 303 - 13 Rules and Regulations

405 BURN PERMIT FEES: Burn permits are valid only following receipt of fees specified in 

Rule 607, BURN PERMIT FEES.

500 MONITORING AND RECORDS

501 BURN REPORTS

501.1 Annual Report: A report of agricultural burning conducted shall be submitted to 

the ARB by the air district within 45 days of the end of each calendar year. The 

report shall include the estimated tonnage of vegetation from prescribed burning, 

and the location of where the burning was performed.

501.2 Special Permits Issuance Report: A report of burn permits issued, each year, 

pursuant to subsection 103.2.2 shall be submitted to the ARB within 45 days of 

the end of the calendar year. The report shall include the number of such burn 

permits issued, the date of issuance of each burn permit, the person or persons 

to whom the burn permit was issued, and an estimate of the amount of 

vegetation burned pursuant to the burn permit, and a summary of the reasons 

why denial of each burn permit would have threatened imminent and substantial 

economic loss, including the nature and dollar amounts of such loss.
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