| Smoke Management Program | | Print | |
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en español - Programa del Manejo de Humo Backyard Burn Season Begins December 1st Burn Only Dry Materials PRESCRIBED BURNS PLANNED FOR TODAY
Burn Day Forecasting Burn day forecasting for both residential and agricultural burning is a 5-zone system that allows the inland (NW & SE), coastal (NW & SE) and above 3,000 feet elevation areas to have separate and more accurate forecasts. To determine which zone you are in, please refer to this Map. Click here for a detailed image of the burn zones in the Corral De Tierra, Carmel Valley, River Road, Chualar and Gonzales areas. The California Air Resources Board, California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (CAL FIRE) and the APCD designate permissive burn days. Call the APCD Burn Line at 1-800-CAL-BURN (1-800-225-2876) or go to https://secure.arb.ca.gov/pfirs/cb3/cb3.php to find out if the current day is a permissive burn day in your zone. Daily burn day status is available by 4:00 p.m. for the next day. WILL TOMORROW BE A PERMISSIVE BURN DAY? What are the different types of open burns?
Questions? Contact Betsy Hibbits, Smoke Management Coordinator, at (831) 647-9411 ext. 213. What is Smoke Management? Smoke management is the use of techniques such as meteorology, fuel moisture, fuel loading, fire suppression and other burn methods to minimize the smoke impacts from fires. Accordingly, the purpose of the Air District's Smoke Management Program is to minimize the air quality impacts of open burning.
Smoke is a form of air pollution that primarily consists of particulate matter. Other components of smoke include gaseous air pollutants such as hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. When nitrogen oxides combine with hydrocarbons in the presence of sunlight, ozone is formed.
Smog is a combination of smoke and other particulates, ozone, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and other chemically reactive compounds which, under certain conditions of weather and sunlight, may result in a murky brown haze that causes adverse health effects. Exposure to all these air pollutants can cause health effects or aggravate existing health conditions.
State and local regulations prohibit causing a public nuisance with smoke, and Air District staff enforce these laws. Air District staff are available to help burners identify techniques for minimizing smoke production and nuisances.
Health Effects of Smoke Exposure
Agricultural burns are fires used in agricultural operations. An agricultural operation is the growing of crops or the raising of fowl, animals, or bees as a gainful occupation. Agricultural Burn Permits are required prior to conducting any agricultural burning. Check with your local Fire Department to see if they issue agricultural burn permits. If they do not, then you need to apply for an agricultural burn permit from the Air District. Click here for the list of Fire Departments. Applications for agriculture burn permits are processed online. Click here to obtain an application and permit. Simply fill in the information, check accept and print it out. For instructions on how to complete the application, click on the link below "How to Apply for an Agriculture Burn Permit" or contact an inspector at the District office for assistance (831) 647-9411. Daily Burn Authorizations are required prior to conducting any agricultural burning. Authorizations are processed online. Daily notifications can be submitted on the morning of the burn, or on the afternoon prior after the next day's burn status is available, usually at 4:00 p.m. or later. Click here to receive authorization to burn. For instructions on how to complete the notification, click on the link below "How to Request Daily Authorization to Burn".
Backyard burns are fires for disposing of dry vegetation grown on the premises of a single- or two-family residence.
To apply for a Smoke Management Permit or to renew a permit, contact Betsy Hibbits at (831) 647-9411 ext. 213.
Development burns are a type of prescribed burn. Development burns are fires for disposing of dry vegetation grown on a property being developed for commercial or residential purposes.
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