Cal Fire Suspends Burn Permits Amid Rising Fire Danger in Northern California

CAMINO, California — A burn permit suspension is now in effect for Alpine, Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento, and San Joaquin counties, according to Cal Fire’s Amador-El Dorado Unit. The suspension began just after midnight on June 16, 2025, prohibiting all residential outdoor burning of landscape debris, including branches, yard waste, and leaf piles.

“Although debris burning is useful to reduce flammable vegetation, the conditions in Amador-El Dorado Unit have reached the point where debris burning poses an unacceptable risk of starting a wildfire and it is no longer safe for the public to perform these types of burns,” said AEU Chief Mike Blankenheim.

Cal Fire made this decision due to a combination of factors, including rising temperatures, dry winds, and increased growth of annual grasses. Together, these conditions elevate fire danger significantly across the region.

Even with the burn permit suspension, Cal Fire stresses that residents should continue to maintain a defensible space around their homes. Recommendations include clearing dead or dying vegetation from at least 100 feet around structures, using fire-resistant plants for landscaping, and disposing of landscape debris by chipping or hauling it to a green waste facility.

For more wildfire safety information, residents are encouraged to visit Cal Fire’s website at readyforwildfire.org.