This information is specific to the Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District (NSCAPCD) which is the air quality jurisdiction for the Northern Sonoma County Fire Protection District. 

An air quality permit is required year-round for all types of burning including agriculture and residential pile burning, as well as prescribed burning. Obtain your air quality “Open Burn Permit” at the Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District website. Air quality permits are valid until April 30 of the following year.

No other permit is needed unless you are located in CAL FIRE jurisdiction and plan to burn between May 1 and the end of declared fire season. CAL FIRE jurisdiction is referred to as State Responsibility Area (SRA). SRA is generally the mountainous terrain and not the valley floors. You can determine if your location is in SRA at using the State Responsibility Area Viewer site. Apply for a CAL FIRE Burn Permit at Burn Permits | Burn Permits (ca.gov). 

CAL FIRE usually issues a “burn permit suspension” which may also be referred to as a “burn ban” during the summer and fall of each year where CAL FIRE has jurisdiction (SRA). The County of Sonoma also issues a similar suspension for areas not in CAL FIRE jurisdiction. These two burn permit suspensions prohibit most types of burning by not allowing permits to be issued and suspending permits that have been issued.

Please follow all safe burning guidelines, burn on approved “burn days,” and register your burn. 

Burn Day Status (Posted by 3PM of each day for the following day):  (707) 565-2876
Burning Registration (call morning of burning):  (707) 565-2876 AND press 1 to skip recording
NSCAPCD Office:  (707) 433-5911