Camino, CA….The increasing fire danger posed by dead grass, dry brush and live vegetation combined with hotter, drier conditions in the region is prompting CAL FIRE to suspend all burn permits for outdoor residential burning within the State Responsibility Areas of Alpine, Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento and San Joaquin Counties. This suspension takes effect at 12:00 AM on Monday, May 10th, 2021 and bans all residential outdoor burning of landscape debris such as branches and leaves.

Since January 1, 2021, CAL FIRE and firefighters across the State have already responded to over 1,788 wildfires burning over 13,604 acres.

AEU Chief Mike Blankenheim says, “We are experiencing drought conditions and extreme fire weather much earlier than usual for this time of year. Although debris burning is useful to reduce flammable vegetation, the conditions in the Amador-El Dorado Unit have reached the point where debris burning poses an unacceptable risk of starting a wildfire.”

Here are some tips to help prepare homes and property:
• Clear all dead and or dying vegetation 100 feet from around all structures.
• Landscape with fire resistant plants and non-flammable ground cover.
• Find alternative ways to dispose of landscape debris like chipping or hauling it to a biomass energy or green waste facility

For additional information on how to create Defensible Space, on how to be prepared for wildfires, as well as tips to prevent wildfires, visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org.
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