February 9, 2012

Placer County APCD 305 - 1 Rules and Regulations

RULE 305 RESIDENTIAL ALLOWABLE BURNING

Adopted 02-10-11

(Amended 02-09-12)

CONTENTS

100 GENERAL

101 PURPOSE

102 APPLICABILITY

103 EXEMPTIONS

200 DEFINITIONS

201 RESIDENTIAL ALLOWABLE COMBUSTIBLES

202 BURN BARREL

203 COMBUSTIBLE

204 DISALLOWED COMBUSTIBLES

205 NO-BURN DAY

206 OPEN BURNING OR OPEN OUTDOOR FIRE

207 PERMISSIVE BURN DAY OR BURN DAY

208 RESIDENCE

300 STANDARDS

301 PROHIBITIONS ON OPEN BURNING

302 RESIDENTIAL ALLOWABLE BURNING

303 BURN PERMITS

304 BURN DAYS

305 VEGETATION PREPARATION AND DRYING TIMES

306 APPROVED IGNITION DEVICES

307 WIND DIRECTION

308 DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT BURNED DAILY

400 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS (None)

500 MONITORING AND RECORDS (None)
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Rules and Regulations 305 - 2 Placer County APCD

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Placer County APCD 305 - 3 Rules and Regulations

100 GENERAL

101 PURPOSE: To reduce emissions of toxic air contaminants from smoke from allowed 

outdoor burning at a residence, of allowable combustibles originating, on the premises 

where burned.

102 APPLICABILITY

102.1 This rule shall apply to persons conducting outdoor burning of residential 

allowable combustibles.

102.2 Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations for the Airborne Toxic Control 

Measure (ATCM) to Reduce Emissions of Toxic Air Contaminants from Outdoor 

Residential Waste Burning.

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 303, PRESCRIBED BURNING 

SMOKE MANAGEMENT is exempt from this Rule.

103.1.4 Burning conducted pursuant to Rule 304, LAND DEVELOPMENT 

BURNING SMOKE MANAGEMENT is exempt from this Rule.

103.1.5 Burning conducted pursuant to Rule 306, OF OPEN BURNING OF 

NONINDUSTRIAL WOOD WASTE AT DESIGNATED DISPOSAL 

SITES is exempt from this Rule.

103.2 Exempt Areas: Effective January 1, 2004, on burn days only, fires for the 

disposal of dry, non-glossy paper and cardboard originating from, and being 

burned on the premises of a residence, may only be burned if an exemption has 

been approved by the District Board of Directors that meets all the following 

subsections 103.2.1 through 103.2.4.

103.2.1 The residence is not in an incorporated place; and

103.2.2 The residence lies within the boundaries of a census zip code or 

census zip code sub-area, within the district where the population 

density is equal to or less than 10.0 persons, as calculated from the 

last decennial United States Census Data; and

103.2.3 The residence is in an area not served on a weekly basis by an 

organized waste disposal service; and

103.2.4 The residence does not lie within the boundary of a jurisdiction which 

prohibits the burning of dry, non-glossy paper and cardboard as of 

January 4, 2002, or thereafter.

103.2.5 Within the boundaries of the census zip code or zip code sub-area, if 

the population density remains equal to or below 10.0 persons the air 

district may renew the exemption every ten years pursuant to Section 

93113(e), Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations.
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Rules and Regulations 305 - 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 ALLOWABLE COMBUSTIBLES: Vegetation originating on the premises of a residence, 

limited to the following: dry trees and trimmings, dry brush/shrubs, dry leaves, pine 

needles, grasses and forbs, dry plants and flowers, dry weeds, and dry vines. Lawn 

clippings, oleander (nerium oleander), and poison oak (toxicodendron diversilobum) are 

excluded. Vegetation that is not reasonably free of dirt, soil, and visible surface moisture, 

is not an allowed combustible.

202 BURN BARREL: A metal container used to hold combustible or flammable waste 

materials, so that they can be ignited outdoors for purpose of disposal.

203 COMBUSTIBLE: Any substance capable of burning or any substance that will readily 

burn.

204 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.

205 NO-BURN DAY: Any day on which agricultural burning, including residential burning, is 

prohibited by the ARB or the APCO.

206 OPEN BURNING OR OPEN OUTDOOR: Burning of any combustibles of any type, 

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

flue.

207 PERMISSIVE BURN DAY OR BURN DAY: Any day in which agricultural burning 

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

208 RESIDENCE: A single or two-family dwelling unit and the land and ancillary surrounding 

(nonresidential) structures.

300 STANDARDS

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

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

disposal or burning of any disallowed combustibles.

302 RESIDENTIAL ALLOWABLE BURNING: Only allowable combustibles, originating at a 

residence, and free of disallowed combustibles, and reasonably free from dirt, soil, and 

visible surface moisture, may be burned in an open outdoor burn pile. Burning in a burn 

barrel is prohibited.

303 BURN PERMITS

303.1 A District burn permit is not required for residential allowable burning.
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Placer County APCD 305 - 5 Rules and Regulations

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

has jurisdiction in the area of the residential allowable burning.

304 BURN DAYS: No person shall knowingly ignite, or allow ignition of allowable 

combustibles on no-burn days or when it is prohibited by a fire protection agency.

305 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 and is to be burned), the 

following are drying times.

305.1 No vegetation shall be burned unless it is 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.

305.2 Vegetation stacked for burning shall not be burned unless it is stacked in such a 

manner to promote drying and ensure combustion with a minimum amount of 

smoke.

305.3 A minimum of 15 days of drying time for fine prunings or cuttings less than 3

inches in diameter, at the cut end.

305.4 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.

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

greater than 6 inches in diameter, at the cut end.

305.6 Vegetation or stumps, greater than 12 inches in diameter, shall not be burned 

unless they are split smaller than 12 inches in diameter and are free of dirt.

306 APPROVED IGNITION DEVICES: All open 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.

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

populated area or when it is or may become a nuisance or hazard.

308 DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT BURNED DAILY: Only that amount of vegetation that 

can be reasonably expected to burn completely within 24 hours of ignition unless the 

burn hours are further restricted.

400 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS (None)

500 MONITORING AND RECORDS (None)
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Rules and Regulations 305 - 6 Placer County APCD

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