MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES—The end of fire season will be declared, in the CAL FIRE Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit (MMU), on Monday, December 18th at 8 a.m. Burning is allowed, but burn permit requirements vary between counties.
Burn permit information in Mariposa County:
- CAL FIRE burn permits are not required in Mariposa County until May 1st.
- Residents must contact the Mariposa County burn day information line and Mariposa County Air Pollution Control District for county permit requirements prior to burning.
- Mariposa County burn day information line: 209-966-1200
- Mariposa County Air Pollution Control District: 209-966-2220
Burn permit information in Eastern Madera County:
- CAL FIRE burn permits are required in Eastern Madera County. Permits can be obtained online only by visiting burnpermit.fire.ca.gov.
- Madera County burn day information line: 877-429-2876
MMU would like to remind residents that creating and maintaining 100 feet of defensible space is essential for increasing your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire. Fall and winter are perfect times to create vertical and horizontal spacing between grass, shrubs, and trees. Please trim trees to keep branches a minimum of 10 feet from other trees.
Safety Tips:
- Remain in attendance of your fire.
- Make sure there is a water source nearby.
- DO NOT burn on days forecasted to have high or gusty winds.
- As always, before you burn, ensure it is a permissive burn day by contacting the burn day information line and be responsible when burning.
For more information, please visit our CAL FIRE web site at www.fire.ca.gov and
www.ReadyForWildfire.org
Zones 1 and 2 currently make up the 100 feet of defensible space required by law. Assembly Bill 3074, passed into law in 2020, requires a third zone for defensible space. This law requires the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to develop the regulation for a new ember-resistant zone (Zone 0) within 0 to 5 feet of the home by January 1, 2023. The intensity of wildfire fuel management varies within the 100-foot perimeter of the home, with more intense fuels’ reduction occurring closer to your home. Start at the home and work your way out to 100 feet or to your property line, whichever is closer.
