Burning FAQ

Q: Which area and I in?

A: “Western Nevada County” is the portion of Nevada County west of Donner Summit. The “Truckee Area” is the portion of Nevada County east of Donner Summit. “Sierra County” is the entire County of Sierra. “Quincy Area” is the area defined by the Quincy Fire Protection District outer boundary (“islands” within the outer boundary that are not part of the Quincy Fire Protection District are considered parts of the Quincy Area for burn day status). Burning is prohibited in downtown Quincy and East Quincy. For more information on the Quincy Area, see the special section below. “Plumas County (except Quincy Area)” is all of Plumas County except the area within the boundary of the Quincy Fire Protection District.

Q: How are burn days determined?

A: The primary responsibility for a Burn Day decision resides with 2 agencies: the California Air Resources Board and CalFire. The local Air District has the final say on the burn day status, but considers input from all relevant sources and agencies and will defer to the agency that calls for a No Burn Day. The primary factors considered in a decision are fire danger, air quality and atmospheric dispersion characteristics.

Q: Where can I get a residential burn permit?

A: Online Burn Permits are now available. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has transitioned to online residential burn permits for residents living within the state responsibility area of Nevada county. The online application will provide a convenient method for obtaining a burn permit for residents within these counties. Applicants can access the website at burnpermit.fire.ca.gov, watch the mandatory video which reviews burning requirements and safety tips, then fill in the required fields, submit the form and a door-yard burn permit will be created. The applicant must then print the permit and then sign it. Permits are valid for the calendar year in which they are issued and must be reissued annually on or after January 1st of each year.

If you live in eastern Nevada County call the Truckee Fire Department at (530) 582-7850 for info on obtaining a burn permit. If you live in Sierra or Plumas county either contact the Northern Air District Office or the local fire agency. Most US Forest Service offices in Plumas County issue burn permits.

Q: How many days are no burn days in a year?

A: Check our Annual Burn Day Statistics (.pdf) page.

Q: Why do we have no burn days?

A: Learn about it in this article.

Quincy Area Burn Restrictions

Q: What does Rule 318 say?

A: Rule 318 has been revised to allow for burning in the original No Burn Zone with a permit only. The revised Rule can be found on our Rule page.

See map below for areas affected by the new permit requirement.

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