Just heard from CalFire that on Saturday, June 17th, there were 3 fires in Santa Cruz County that required aircraft to control. They asked us to reach out to our Firewise communities to let people know that they have a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY for OPEN BURNING until Fire Season is declared over.
Please do not create burns on your property until you get a burn permit from Central Fire. Check their website to see when you can conduct seasonal burns. The annual backyard burn season is usually from December 1st through April 30th, but the exact dates may vary. Always get a burn permit and carefully follow instructions.
**** UPDATE June 19, 2023
CAL FIRE does allow Hazard Reduction (aka Ag. or LE-5) Burns outside of backyard burn season. One can apply online, but the piles must be inspected, and a prescription written, in order for a permit to be issued. One also needs a permit from the Monterey Bay Air District [MBARD] which can also be applied for online, and you must check with them every day that you plan to burn to see if burning is allowed that day.